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Cory Pehrson
Jorgensen
English 1010
May 7, 2015
Always Plugged-In
Technology is evolving exponentially and constantly changing. American society today is
just along for the ride. With so much offered and so much of it portable, people are exploring
ways for its use, resulting in positive and negative effects. Abusing mobile technology leads to a
population more dependent on electronics because of the instant gratification it can bring, the
confidence in its availability, and the obsession of constantly being connected.
Because mobile devices have so many functions, cell phones have given people the
opportunity to multitask more. They tweet about the movie they are watching, laptops have
multiple tabs open, and there is a constant ability to text or post about everything they do on and
off line (Pittelko). Along with this skill, society has become used to having what they want,
immediately. In an interview done with a Chris Bartholoma, a Verizon Wireless employee, he
stated that people are so dependent on mobile technology, it has also caused a problem with
instant gratification. Where they (people) arent willing to be patient, they want everything nowit has to be now.
Children today have never known a world without technology. Some advantages are the
incredible learning applications available, YouTube tutorials, informational videos, and the
whole library can fit into their pockets. However, they become more demanding. Society is
raising an entitled generation because of the reliance on mobile devices. Parents entertain their
children; they use them as a substitute for a babysitter, or to calm an upset child in public. These

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parents are teaching their kids that patience can be set aside for what they want now, and that can
lead to aggressive disobedience. With so much available to entertain, kids are losing their
imaginations, because they dont need them anymore. Your imagination is in your hand
(Bartholoma).
If the Wi-Fi goes out, the cell service is down, or the 4g LTE connection is slow, people
get extremely frustrated and irritated. They are conditioned to the fact that it only takes a few
seconds to get any information that they desire. Also, when people forget their phone and do not
have it on their person, they often feel the phantom vibrations of the phone that is not there,
much like a lost limb (Overly Dependent ).
Having all these amazing tools at their fingertips can be extremely helpful in many
situations. The constant companion of a mobile device is wonderful, however, cell phones have
become inextricably woven into our daily lives, it is important that future research identifies the
tipping point at which cell phone use crosses the line from being a useful tool to one that
enslaves both users and society alike" (Whiteman).
The comic on the right depicts how
dependent people are on mobile devices. Once
they are gone and no longer available, for any
reason, people will not know how to fill their
free time, they wont know how to communicate
without their devices, and they will be socially
awkward (more than now).
Having such access is so crucial that
mobile hot spots have been created so that a

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person can connect other devices through their cell phone, and Wi-Fi access is now being built
into newer models of cars. Its going to be everywhere and youre not going to get away from
it (Bartholoma).
What happens when disaster strikes? During the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013
Verizon issued a statement saying that they were "enhancing network voice capacity to enable
additional calling in the Copley Square area of Boston. Customers are advised to use text or
email to free up voice capacity for public safety officials at the scene" (Ungerleider). So even if
there is battery power and cell towers available, the connection and communication are not
guaranteed. It is possible to build redundancies into America's mobile phone infrastructure
which would allow the easy placement of phone calls during crises. This would, however, be
massively expensive and carriers would likely pass the cost onto customers (Ungerleider).
Technology is ever changing. Land lines are almost nonexistent because of cell phones.
Now, instead of the sole purpose of calling, there are many options. Texting has been added.
Internet access, games, apps, financial tools, religious study, shopping, music, and camera
options pop up at the touch of a button. People have become sucked into believing that cellular
devices are a must-have, cannot-live-without item.
There is an article in the New York Times to which Ken Belson describes a movie called
Cellular, in which a science teacher becomes abducted and kept in the attic. There is an old
fashioned rotary phone that the abductor smashes, but the teacher somehow gets the phone to
work, and is able to contact someone on their mobile phone. This story line gives praise to
ingenuity and technology. Cell phones have become known a saving device. The thought that if
you are in trouble and there is no one around to help you, you have a life line.

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American society is obsessed with being


constantly connected with others via digital means.
Teens are not only just browsing the internet, but they
are using social media platforms, and more often than
not, more than one of them. As shown on the graph,
Facebook is the number one social media site among
teens. Teenage girls use social media sites and
platforms particularly visually-oriented ones for
sharing more than their male counterparts do. For their
part, boys are more likely than girls to own gaming consoles and play video games (Lenhart).
It has been long coming for people to become addicted to mobile devices. In an article by
Lee Rainie and Scott Keeter covering a study done in 2006, it was found that over one fourth of
mobile phone owners acknowledged not driving as safely as they should while using their cell
phones. There are laws that ban cell phone use while driving, unless a hands-free or Bluetooth
device is being used, to help cut back on all the distractions and avoidable accidents.
The digital technology that we have today makes it possible for people to stay connected
easily over long distances. This is extremely important for those who serve in the military or
other capacities that are away from their families for long periods of time. They are able to
connect with them in ways that are truly amazing. A soldier is able to use Skype or Facetime so
that he could be in the delivery room with his wife while she is in labor, or even as simple as
telling his small children that he loves and misses them.
The digital world is constantly interfering with real world relationships. Its like our real
life conversations are just the background music to our digital lives, and thats just plain sad

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(Pittelko). It has even gotten to the point that meaningful conversations are done through text
message or over Facebook.
You almost have to be addicted to it because everybody else is, and everybody
communicates via technology. Society is not willing to let go and take that step back and,
heaven forbid, [have] face to face communication. There is an absolute need to be permanently
connected, not wanting to give up that connection (Bartholoma).
Messages using text instead of voice can be misleading and misunderstood. There is no
voice inflection or emotion to be heard. It has been often said that a sarcasm font needs to be
created to eliminate confusion. Internet acronyms are used like shorthand to be able to type faster
and get the message sent sooner. This is causing problems so that people are losing the ability to
write well and with correct grammar. Plus, not everyone knows this jargon, so it can cause even
more confusion in some instances.
This obsession with the constant link through mobile devices has given people a false
connection. A music video created by YouTubers gives plenty of examples of people ignoring
their real lives and focusing on their digital connections. Examples include a man letting his
dessert spoil while he posts it to Instagram and a crowd videoing a street performance instead of
just enjoying it. This video is a humorous example of how addicted people are with being
connected through mobile technology, but ignoring reality in the process. Everyone seems to
always be on their mobile device instead of really being in the moment (McLaughlin).
There are both good and bad things that mobile technology has brought, but individuals
need to be responsible for the balance. People need to know when to turn it off or set it down
and enjoy real life. The abuse of mobile devices causes a more dependent society on electronics.

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This is because of instant gratification, the reliance of its availability, and the fixation of being
constantly connected. It is an individual power of choice combined with the press of a button.

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Works Cited
Bartholoma, Chris. Personal interview. 14 Apr. 2015.
Belson, Ken. Saved, and Enslaved, by the Cell. New York Times 10 Oct. 2004: 12. Vocational
and Career Collection. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.
"Have People Become Overly Dependent on Technology?" Have People Become Overly
Dependent on Technology? Debate.org, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
Lenhart, Amanda. "Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015." Pew Research Centers
Internet American Life Project RSS. Pew Research Center, 08 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr.
2015.
McLaughlin, Rhett, and Link Neal. "Get Off The Phone Song." YouTube. YouTube, 3 Dec.
2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Piraro, Dan. Bizarro! Bizarro. King Features Syndicate, 1 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Pittelko, Meagan. 7 Ways Technology Has Made Our Lives Worse. Thought Catalog. The
Thought and Expression Co., 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
Rainie, Lee, and Scott Keeter. "Americans and Their Cell Phones." Pew Research Centers
Internet American Life Project RSS. Pew Research Center, 02 Apr. 2006. Web. 19 Apr.
2015.
Ungerleider, Neal. Why Your Phone Doesnt Work During DisastersAnd How To Fix It.
Fast Company. Fast Company & Inc, 17 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
Whiteman, Honor. Is Cell Phone Addiction on the Horizon? Medical News Today.
MediLexicon International, 1 Sept. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

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