The popular saying “A dog is a man’s best friend” is long outdated. In today’s society, “A smartphone is a man’s best friend.” People use it for entertainment, news, work, social, and personal purposes. It is our connection to the world around us, it is our lifeline to personal relationships, and it is our source of current and important information. In essence, the smartphone is the center of our universe.
When you look around at the people in a restaurant or an office, most of them will probably have their eyes glued to their smartphones. It is a necessity for people to read the latest gossip, post an updated status, tweet the latest trends, or instagram the coolest photos. If people don’t stay up to date with all of their social media, they feel disconnected from the world. That is one of the many problems with smartphones today. People rely on them too heavily for every aspect of communication. Interpersonal relationships and the ability to interact in person with others have become unimportant. People hide behind their smartphones in most social situations, causing many people to flail at even the simplest conversations.
Now although smartphones inhibit our need and/or want for face-to-face social interaction, it has unlocked a whole new world of digital communication. The ability to talk to someone anywhere in the world, to share photos/videos to friends and family, to hold online meetings with people in different locations, to have instant web access wherever you go, etc. has been revolutionary. We no longer have to wait for information. With smartphones, you can have it anywhere, anytime. They have brought this diverse world together in ways we never thought possible.
All in all, I think it is safe to say that smartphones are our lifelines. I just recently had my smartphone stolen. Not having it with me 24/7 made me realize how heavily I rely on its presence. It just goes to show how strong our dependence on technology is. We no longer remember how to live in a world without it. We live in an age where smartphones are an integral part of who we are in society and where we will go in the future.