How Have Cell Phones Changed Our Lives - Term Paper Example

How Have Cell Phones Changed Our Lives Introduction It’s a small world, after all. No doubt these words will be familiar to most if not all of us in this day and age. As children, we most likely heard the phrase being sung one time too many – and eventually grown sick of it. Regardless, the fact that practically everyone on earth is familiar with the phrase – regardless of their spoken language – should say something about how it has wormed its way into our daily lives. And in the process, the truth of these words becomes readily apparent. Today, in this digital age, the significance of the phrase is due to more than it merely pertaining to a mildly irritating children’s nursery rhyme. As a matter of fact, these words are spot-on when it comes to describing how cell phones have changed our lives ever since their inception in the 70s (Heeks, 2008). Their existence is obviously a major, major convenience for many of us today, so much so that the use of cell phones has become all but hardwired into our daily lives. In fact, even less financially endowed individuals tend to have access to their own cell phones today, and are able to find work thanks to how common they are among the people (Lynn, 2010). With that in mind, it cannot be disputed that cell phones have indeed changed our lives. However, the question is whether the changes wrought by these devices are positive or negative in nature. As such, the aim of this paper is to explore both viewpoints in order to come up with its own stand on the issue. Cell Phones are Good As noted above, the ease with which communication can be conducted in the digital age is something in which cell phones have played a major role in. As long as one has sufficiently liquid finances, he can presumably make calls and send text messages to his heart’s content, as much as he requires or desires. Even money may not always be a problem in this regard, as certain mobile networks operating in some countries have promos that grant subscribers unlimited calls and texts. This is definitely a far cry from the previous decades, and is indicative of how steadily communication has evolved through the years. For instance, where one would have needed to line up at a phone booth and then pay far too much for far too little time, a cell phone can easily be used to converse in real-time. Where one might have written a letter and then waited for weeks and weeks for a response, a cell phone can now be used to send text messages. Indeed, nowadays, one’s friends and loved ones are, more often than not, a few keystrokes or button presses away. And in some countries, cell phones are even used to in business transactions (Erviani, 2011). Even cell phones themselves have evolved through the years. Where the earliest models were very, very large, there are cell phones today that can be dwarfed by someone’s purse. Where their cost was so prohibitive that only the cream of the crop could afford them, the cell phones of today can be bought by students in high school or even elementary. In fact, depending on which features one is willing to make do without, he can get hold of a cell phone for as low as $20 (Sutter, 2010). More recently, cell phones have been made that double as substitutes for one’s digital camera, radio or mp3 player, and have appropriately been dubbed ‘smartphones’ (Nusca, 2009). For instance, the Symbian OS that was developed a few years ago allows phones to serve as pseudo-PDA as well as a mobile phone (al-Baker, 2011). Surprisingly, there are cell phones that manage to perform these secondary functions quite well, with manufacturers such as Nokia and Sony having entire product lines specifically for specialized phones, such as those meant to play music or take pictures. Indeed, the Nokia N8 has been cited by Oryl (2010) as the best camera phone ever. From what has been said, cell phones have indeed posed a number of benefits to the people of the 21st century. From time efficiency to the convenience involved, they have gone a long way in making it easier for us to live our lives. Where one would once have had to carry around multiple gadgets, a sufficiently advanced cell phone would not suffice. All in all, it cannot be denied that these devices do much to contribute to the fast-paced lifestyle characteristic of the digital age. Cell Phones are Bad At the same time, though, it has been said that every light casts a shadow, and cell phones are no exception to this rule. Indeed, its value for expediting communications is beyond doubt – and, in and of itself, this would be a good thing. However, what goes on during these communications is often another story altogether. For one thing, it was noted that at least 10% of all cell phone subscribers keep a secret number in addition to their public one (BBC News, 2001). Supposedly, these secret phones are then used to conduct questionable activities, such as extramarital affairs and clandestine business dealings. More commonly, cell phones in general can easily be used to cheat on exams. Depending on the user’s powers of discretion and deception, such arrangements could go on for years with the victims none the wiser. And as a result of the impostures and indiscretions of their loved ones, their lives become forever and irrevocably altered. Less dramatically, there are those who text while driving or otherwise travelling, and in the process have ended up severely hurting – sometimes even killing – themselves, or others around them. This is not usually a problem for people who text while walking, as they are able to keep at least half their attention on where they are going, but the outcome can be disastrous for those taking a car or a bike. Either way, the use of the cell phone while otherwise occupied does in fact make accidents more likely to happen – which is why some territories have outlawed such a practice (de Waard et al, 2010). And from a health standpoint, cell phones have been known to have radiation, prolonged exposure to which can pose some long-term health problems. For instance, a certain study by the WHO showed how those who made copious use of their cell phones were at 40% greater risk for brain cancer, as compared to their more sensible contemporaries (Kovach, 2011). As a matter of fact, it is because of this that cell phones have gained a 2b classification – indicating at their moderate cancer risks. Conclusion The previous pages all served to explain the various ups and downs of cell phone use. On one hand, they greatly expedite communication, can supplant other devices which would have had to be carried separately and, generally speaking, are extremely cheap for their usefulness to one’s life. It is because of these things that even children these days have their own cell phones – something which would have been unheard of in past decades. At the same time, though, cell phones have the potential to be misused. The same device used to keep in touch with one’s family and friends can just as easily be used to keep an illicit affair with one’s paramour. The same camera phone used to store memories of unforgettable moments in one’s life can just as easily be used as an aid to cheating in exams. And of course, the same phone that could have been used as a means of ensuring one’s safety can also serve as one’s death by accident, whether natural or man-made. In light of all these things, then: are cell phones good, or bad? This student chooses the former; as noted from all the examples in the previous heading, the cell phones themselves were not responsible for the bad things that had happened – it is only because of misuse and abuse that those things happened at all. Cell phones, like everything else in our midst, are tools – ours to use, or abuse. As such, the question of whether cell phones are good or bad is really up to each individual. References Kovach, Steve World Health Organization: Cell Phones May Cause Cancer 31 May 11 Business Insider 17 Nov 11 http://www.businessinsider.com/cell-phones-cause-cancer-2011-5 Sutter, John D. TED 2010: How Cell Phones Will Change the World 11 Feb 10. CNN SciTechBlog. 17 Nov 11. http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/11/ted-2010-how-cell-phones-will-change-the-world/ al-Baker, Asri Symbian Device – The OS Revolution 17 Nov 11. I-Symbian.com. 17 Nov 11. http://www.i-symbian.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Symbian_Evolution.pdf Heeks, Richard "Meet Marty Cooper – the inventor of the mobile phone" 2008. BBC 41 (6): 26–33. doi:10.1109/MC.2008.192. Lynn, Jonathan Mobile phones help lift poor out of poverty: UN study 14 Oct 10. Reuters. 17 Nov 11. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USTRE69D4XA20101014 Oryl, Michael Nokia N8 review – best camera phone ever 05 Oct 10. Mobileburn.com. 17 Nov 11. http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=11093 Millions keep secret mobile 16 Oct 01. BBC News. 17 Nov 11. http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=11093 Erviani, Ni Komang Branchless banking to start in Bali 01 Mar 11. The Jakarta Post. 17 Nov 11. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/03/01/branchless-banking-start-bali.html Nusca, Andrew "Smartphone vs. feature phone arms race heats up; which did you buy?" 20 Aug 09. ZDNet. 17 Nov 11. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/gadgetreviews/smartphone-vs-feature-phone-arms-race-heats-up-which-did-you-buy/6836 de Waard, D., Schepers, P., Ormel, W. and Brookhuis, K. Mobile phone use while cycling: Incidence and effects on behaviour and safety. Jan 2010. Ergonomics. Vol 53. No. 1. pp 30–42. Read More