The Impact of Smartphone Dependency on Human Connection
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The Impact of Smartphone Dependency on Human Connection
Having recently moved to a new country, I have been relying upon my phone as my sole means of communication with the world. You can imagine my panic, therefore, when I found myself cut off from social media shortly after my arrival in France. Although I was reunited with a network signal after a mere week, this experience has led me to question whether our modern-day reliance on technology is becoming unhealthy.
The Rapid Evolution of Personal Technology
I often forget that smartphones are a relatively novel invention. It is hard to imagine that our parents would have been considered lucky to have a fully functioning television just forty years ago. Nowadays, to the increasing detriment of traditional forms of communication, we rely on our phones for everything:
- Calculators and clocks
- Cameras and calendars
- Music players
Traditional forms of communication, such as the handwritten letter, are fast becoming a thing of the past. Similarly, our once-regular trips to the high street are slowly being replaced by the wonders of online shopping, while the Kindle has become a popular alternative to the physical book. As a student of English Literature, I cannot help but feel a little nostalgic; there is nothing I like more than flicking through a traditional paperback book.
Replacing Face-to-Face Interaction
Additionally, I now notice more and more that the smartphone is replacing face-to-face communication. I regularly see groups of people in restaurants, for example, paying more attention to their phones than to each other. I cannot be the only person who thinks there is something inherently worrying about this; are we beginning to choose the company of technology over the company of other human beings?
Finding Relief in Disconnection
While I initially viewed my recent disconnection from social media negatively, I have to admit that I increasingly began to feel an underlying sense of relief. I was finally being forced to enjoy my own company and, dare I say it, there was something intrinsically nice about being alone.