Cell Phones - Demon Spawn or God’s Gift?

The first cell phone was sold in 1983. I got my first cell phone in 1996. And I remember my brother getting his first Blackberry around the same time, maybe early '90s. I remember standing on a balcony of a hotel room in Kananaskis and he showed me his new Blackberry, what it was, and how it is helping him with his business and clients. Who would have thought that in 40 years our world could change so much? I guess I shouldn’t be quite so surprised. I remember being in Seoul in 1998 and beepers were all the rage. But every now and then, someone would have a cell phone. Something they would talk on with someone else. Like the phone in your house, but in your hand. I remember sitting in a restaurant in one of the ‘towns’ in Seoul, watching a couple out to dinner. Both on their cell phones. And not a word was exchanged between the two of them. 

Of course, the first cell phones were almost prehistoric compared to what we have now - you could make a call and store phone numbers at best, but today! All the bells and whistles we now have at our fingertips are almost unbelievable! At first, like everything else, the rush of something new. A new toy, a new gizmo, a new distraction. For those of us attracted to the next shiny bauble, it was captivating for sure! Now, I was never one to have enough money to jump on every bandwagon that went by, but the cell phone was something that offered safety. A sense of security. And being a single female, I have always been aware of what I needed to ensure my surroundings were as safe as possible at all times. And, a cell phone fit into that quite well.

I remember when I took the step from cell phone to smartphone. My first iPhone - around 2010/11. An iPhone 4. I was obviously late to the party; I do remember asking a friend about it and he said that it will get to the point where it will be permanently attached to the end of your hand. And, in the last 14 years, as much as I want to say that ‘I control my phone’, there are times when it definitely controls me. And that’s not a good thing. 

Today, over 50% of cell phone owners never switch their cell phones off; 71% of smartphone owners sleep with or next to their mobile phones every night; 75% of cell phone users admit they have texted while driving at least once; 40% of adults check their phones while in the bathroom. Average screen time for children 8-18, 7.5 hrs a day which is equal to 114 days a year. AVERAGE ... which is more time than they spend in school.

Some more stats that are a bit more concerning:

• Compared to teens who only spend an hour a day on electronic devices, teens who spend 5+ hrs are 71% more likely to exhibit suicide risk factors.
• 47% of parents surveyed believe their child has a smartphone addiction.
• 67% of teachers surveyed noticed their students being negatively distracted by mobile devices. 
• 41% of teenagers feel overwhelmed by the number of alerts they receive on a daily basis.
• 85% of teens surveyed claim it is difficult to stop once they start.
• 67% of teens report losing sleep due to tech use late at night. 
• 33% of teens spend more time socializing with close friends online than in person. 
• 52% of teens sit for long periods of time in silence, on their smartphones while hanging out with friends. 
• 26% of car accidents are caused by cell phone use while driving. 
• 51% of Americans between 18 and 40 years are concerned about the impact their phone use has on their physical health. 
• 56% of people believe using their phone less would bring happiness to their partner
• According to 2019 data, 86% of smartphone users will check their devices while in conversation with friends or family,
• On a global scale, more people have smartphones than toilets. 
• 40% of all consumers and 60% of those 18-40 years old admit to using their phones too much.
• On average, people will spend 5 years and 4 months of their life on social media. 

I don’t think people are using their phones for safety. And, for all the information we now have (literally) at our fingertips, we sure don’t seem to be smarter for it. If we did, we’d have better relationships, better health habits, and better self-discipline because we could truly understand the benefits to our life. Instead, our mental wellness is in the toilet, addictions and anxiety and attention problems are skyrocketing. Relationship skills that lead to healthy connections are weakening and starting to vanish. Sure, a lot of this could be blamed on the COVID pandemic of 2020-22, but the fact is that is also when cell phone use increased exponentially. 

I am a teacher. I work in a school. What I witness daily has me concerned for the future of our youth, and by extension, our future society. I often wonder if things were like this when I was a teenager. Were the older people concerned about us in the same way? What were their fears? Teen sex. Drugs. Smoking. Maybe in the city, gangs. The thing is, with cell phones, the bullying and teen pressure have gone global, not just with their school and community acquaintances. And, I think the whole area of sex has really shifted, too. But that’s a huge area for reflection another time. The fact is, there is no kid that does not have a cell phone. Where I work, they are not to have them in the class from grades 5-8, but they do. They are discouraged from use grades 9 and up, but they all are never without them. Their eyes are never far from their cell phones during their time in the classroom, and they never stop playing their games, checking their messages, liking other's posts, and secretly "hiding" them under the table. I could ask them to put their phone away, and the instant my back is turned, they're out again. The picture here (above) tells a very problematic story of what's happening in classrooms today. One class, about 80-90 min long. Each stroke is an interruption to focus, learning, and concentration, for EVERY student in that classroom, not just those that own the cell phone.

Now, I’m not the kind to say cell phones should be banned. Though I do contemplate this for schools! I made a comment in a FB group (substitute teachers) about this and I was shocked at how many were vehemently opposed for two reasons: (1) they wanted to have constant contact with their kid, and (2) if there were to be a school emergency, they wanted their kid to be able to call them. That’s it. For immediate reasons. No thought or concern to serious future problems, just satisfy their instant need now. And the opposition was STRONG. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a kid, but I would hope that IF I got a cell phone for my kid, it would be for one number only - mine. And I would call ONLY during breaks or after school. They could call any time they are not in class. That’s it. But I think I am an anomly; I wonder how many of those strokes in the above photo are from parents? I have no doubt that there are some at least. "Helicopter parents" are not a joke. 

It is my wish, for myself, to endeavour to have absolute control over my phone at all times. I know for myself, that if I am in a meeting or in class, I will not answer my phone, whether it’s a call or an alert. I know that when I am with friends, I will do my best to leave my cell phone in my purse. It is important for me to give 100% undistracted attention to whoever I am with. I do my best to avoid checking my phone or even using it when I am in a class, though I will use it for alarms to signal the end of a time block or class. If nothing else, I believe I need to be a role model for students. How much they notice, I’m not sure … but for those that do, it’s important for me to show life without cell phones, to show how I control it and not it control me. 

I was in a class the other day, and I asked some students - would they describe their cell phone as a tool for empowerment or a chain for enslavement? Most said a chain. The one who said a tool also said he had no problems leaving his cell phone at home during the day. He is a rare creature indeed! 

I truly think that our success as individuals as well as a society will be dependent on whether we control our phones or whether they control us. Our progress will be defined by it - those who manage their phones as a tool will be empowered and will contribute to improvement in society. Those who allow themselves to be controlled by them will find a chain wrapped around their neck; they will be filled with anger and anxiety, they will be unhappy and enslaved to misery. And they won’t know why. 

Demon spawn or God’s gift? 

That’s completely in your hands. And don’t say one day that you didn’t know.