Cell phones and how they have changed us socially - Research Paper Example

The 20th century witnessed an explosion of technological growth. Telephone technology dates back to the late 19th century through the inventions of Alexander Graham Bell and the subsequent Bell Telephone Company. Still, it wasn’t until the 20th century through American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) that the Western world experienced the profound impacts of this technology, and not until the late end of this century that cell phones would come to dominate the social landscape. Indeed, between 1990 and 1998 cell phone subscribers increased from 11 million to 312 million (Stevens 2010).

Along with the Internet, cell phones would come to profoundly impact the way humans interact and function in the contemporary world. This essay examines the way cell phones have changed us socially. The most prevalent impact of cell phones on social life has been in the very fabric of humanity’s daily existence. Within this context of understanding it’s demonstrated that individuals have gained considerable social freedom from the implementation of cell phone technology. Hindel (2008) argues that cell phones and this corresponding freedom have resulted in advancements in time management and efficiency that have profoundly altered the modern world.

Today people are more independent and confident – considering having a cell phone on a long drive – in navigating the modern social landscape. Still, individuals such as Davis (2010) argue that the infusion of cell phone technology has had a negative impact on human social relations. This perspective contends that cell phones have resulted in a generation of people who have learned to communicate primarily through the mediation of these devices. This has resulted in a populace that is unable to deal with social problems on a face-to-face level.

Individuals also argue that such changes have resulted in decreased ethical responsibility. With the high