Cell Phones and Text Messages

975 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Sociological effects of using cellphones

Everyone in the world uses forms of communication to express feelings, thoughts, ideas, and have general conversations amongst each other. Yet in today's society a small object has taken over, even ruined the process of communication between humans. What is that object? It's called the cell phone.
People are becoming more dependent on their cell phones for communication and daily activities. The cell phone includes features from a wide range of being operated like a personal computer to a short simple text message. The rise of cell phone users and text messages has increasingly grown in the last decade. Text messaging has a more effect on today's society especially for young users. People would rather type a few words and be done with the conversation, rather than talk to an actual person. With the way society is now this could inflict social problems for the future. The uses of cell phones and text messages have forever changed the way society has conversations. Eliminating the way people can read body language or facial expressions.
The cell phone has changed the way people communicate as a whole. People do not have face conversations anymore; they call each other on the phone, or better yet send a text message. This has made talking and texting people more convenient. For instance, one would be able to be at the grocery store shopping while the other was out getting an oil change, still having a conversation that can carry on. People used to have sit down conversations that could take minutes to hours of talking. Now it's more simplified to have a quick response instead of an obligated time. Cell phones have even taken over the home telephone to almost being obsolete, letting people be more multitasking in daily events. No...

... middle of paper ...

...ose the human contact of others. How would you know if someone was yelling at you from a text? The punctuation isn't enough to describe an emotion from a text because it's used throughout for different meanings. When texting becomes all that you do it takes away that personal connection among humans. It's like a conversation that went silent. People learn how to read body language from encountering the ways people use hand gestures and facial expressions. That's how young kids develop social skills and with text messaging taking over who knows how this will affect interpersonal social skills.
In order for people to continue to have intellectual conversations with each other we must have gestures and tone. If society continues to use cell phones as they do for all communications eventually body language and reading facial expressions will be something of the past.

Show More
Related

  • Effects of Cell Phones on American Culture

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sure cell phones make life easier. No longer do we have to call someone to convey a message, just send a text. It’s convenient to be able to call a number and have the person you're looking for pick up, kind of like a direct line. It Takes out the anxiety of wanting to call someone, but being afraid their parents or siblings, or even their significant other will pick up. Many people are getting rid of landline phones all together because everyone in the family has a cell phone. They are like a handheld person assistant. We can set alarms, set appointmen...

    Read More

  • Christine Rosen's 'Our Cell Phones, Ourselves'

    1893 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the article “Our Cell Phones, Ourselves”by Christine Rosen published by W. W. Norton in 2004, she explains about how technology came about and is now taking over today’s world. Just by walking down the street today, it is visible that in everybody’s hands there is a

    Read More

  • We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    Text messaging has become a norm in our generation, as technology rapidly advances and gives way to more efficient forms of communication in a fast-paced world; and many are skeptical about the influence this new form of interaction is having on our society, especially with our younger generation. David Crystal, a professor at the University of Wales, writes “2b or Not 2b?” in support of text messaging. He insists, despite those who underestimate or negate the beneficial influence text messaging has on language proficiency, that “there is increasing evidence that [texting] helps rather than hinders literacy” and that the fairly recent form of communication has actually been around for a while and “is merely the latest manifestation of the human ability to be linguistically creative and to adopt language to suit the demands of diverse settings. In contrast, Jeffery Kluger argues in “We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging” that text messaging is rapidly becoming a substitute for more genuine forms of communication and is resulting in difficulty among young peoples of our generation to hold a face-to-face conversation, engage in significant nonverbal expression, and ultimately build effective relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Both writers’ present valid arguments, however, my personal experience with text messaging has led me to agree more with Crystal’s view on the matter. Text messaging is indeed having a positive effect on society by making frequent texters primarily aware of the need to be understood, as well as offering betterment of spelling and writing through practice, and reinventing and expanding on a bygone dimension of our language through the use of rebuses and abbreviations.

    Read More

  • Use of Cell Phones in Our Society

    2869 Words  | 6 Pages

    Cell phones are gradually affecting American culture today because they are becoming a key part of everyday life. The cell phone is "?an indispensable companion that serves without favor or prejudice. It has reached into every civilized corner of the world--and often brought civilization with it. From its wires spring the words of history in the making, the chatter of daily life" ("43 Years" sc. 1). The cell phone enables individuals to communicate rapidly over great distances and obtain information like never before. People can now pick up the phone and get information on the weather, time, stock market quotations, and other things simply by dialing a few numbers. Cell phones connect the world together, to the point where individuals become almost helpless without it. The next time you find yourself waiting at a stoplight, take the time to observe the people around you. There will likely be at least one person in the surrounding cars who is talking on the phone. Even on the streets, people continue to chat on the phone. Cell phones are everywhere. One resident in Greenville, S.C. admitted that he uses his cell phone at least 15 times a day (Chany sc. 2). The cell phone is in such high use that the traditional phones in homes and offices almost become antique devices on display. Although traditional phones are still around, individuals are quicker to pick up their cell phone.

    Read More

  • Sherry Turkle's Connectivity And Its Disconnects?

    1282 Words  | 3 Pages

    Texting however keeps people at arm’s length and prevents relationships from getting past a certain level of rapport. Text messages help people create distance between them and another person. This distance can lead to many things, like lost friendship. Friendships can be lost in text messages because of tone. I was texting my sister one day, who types in all capital letters, and finally halfway through the conversation I asked her why she was yelling at me, because that is how I was reading them, as me being yelled at. When she responded she was very confused, and told me that she didn’t realize that she had been yelling at me and was sorry. This can happen to anybody. People can confuse tone in text messages, and that can lead to one person arguing with someone who has no idea that they are in a fight. Text messages are also used by people to purposely keep others away from them, and by some it is used to hide. Alice G Walton, a science journalist with a Ph.D. in Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience says, “People like to text because the message gives them the ability to hide,” (Walton). It is like the saying “a drunken mind speaks a sober heart,” When people are drunk they hide behind being it, and use alcohol as their mask, but when they are texting, it’s the phone. They are able to say what they would like, without having to actually face the person they are talking to, and

    Read More

  • Cell Phones Impact On Society Essay

    1830 Words  | 4 Pages

    When cell phones were first introduced, all you could do was call others and talk for half an hour. It was like a brick and took ten hours to charge. It also cost $3995. That’s a lot more than most of today’s cell phones. Even, though it was a very basic phone, it began impacting the world. Now, you could call your relatives and actually talk with them without being next to them. Parents gave their kids cell phones to stay in touch. Now you can contact anyone through your mobile phone in multiple ways. You can text, call, facetime or message someone through social media. Cell phones abilities

    Read More

  • How Do Cell Phones Affect Our Lives

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s age there is so much controversy on whether or not cell phones are helping the world or destroying it. When cell phones first came out it was instantly the thing to have with no second guessing, you just had to have it. But these days many people are saying that it is disconnecting us from the real world. But even with everybody saying that, a study was done saying that over three-quarters of the cell phone owners asked said that cell phones made their lives easier overall or did not really have an affect at all. They said that it makes it easier to contact family or friends from long distances and are able to keep up with what is going on in people's lives they would never be able to normally talk to without them. In addition, it also helped people who would normally forget about events be able to set reminders and help them not only remember to be there but get there on

    Read More

  • Cell Phone Technology and its Effect on Society

    437 Words  | 1 Pages

    Cell phone technology has been around for over twenty years. It has only been the last ten years where it has integrated completely into our lives and changed how we communicate with each other. Entire social rules of interaction were completely changed. Now you could be reached at anytime. It seemed like having a cell phone guaranteed some level of privacy from others around you. But what about your own privacy? With the technology revolution that has been taking place there seems to be no focus on personal relationships. The entire English language has been chopped up and shortened into meaningless letters and phrases It has caused loss of human interaction and expression in our modern daily lifestyles.

    Read More

  • Are Cell Phones a Harmful Distraction to Society

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social relationships are essential for one to function properly within today’s society. Cell phones have affected social relationships by changing them from social conduct to contacting someone through a text message. Research in human interaction using communication technologies like text messages and phone calls could deepen an understanding of how society manages their everyday life” (Rippen). Cell phones have become such a necessity in everyday life that cell phone users rely on a device to manage their everyday social relationships. Cell phone users can manage their social relationships with the touch of a screen.

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Texting

    1900 Words  | 4 Pages

    Step onto any college campus and take a look around.  You will find clumps of students standing around in circles, phones in hand, typing away.  What is it they are doing? Texting. Ever since the first text message was sent in 1993, the use of text messaging as a means of communication has spread like wild fire, especially amongst the adolescent generation. And with this new form of communication a new language has appeared; text-speak, the shortening of common words into abbreviations and acronyms (Drouin 49).  While texting and the text-speak language seem to have been welcomed by many, what affect is this new technology having on the way we communicate? Is it possible that texting is negatively affecting our ability to use formal written communication, or is this idea just a myth perpetuated by negative media attention? And what changes has texting brought to the way we communicate person-to person? Are these changes positive, negative, or perhaps a mixture of both?

    Read More

  • The Negative Impact of Text Messaging on Literacy

    1434 Words  | 3 Pages

    Text messaging is damaging our literacy and communication skills as a society. Calling someone on the phone or writing them a letter is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. There is a new language that is being learned and not taught across the globe. It is the language of Textese, and it has quickly consumed the lives of millions across the world. There will always be the protector of language arts. These are the shrinking number of people everyone knows, that will continue to handwrite letters and sign them with proper English and etiquette. It may be as simple as picking up the phone and calling a friend or relative. It may be even simpler than that, in that people put forth an effort to talk to the person sitting next to or across from you and engage them in a conversation. Texting and textisms have become so common and widespread that using proper English, correct spelling, and full sentences is also becoming a thing of the past. People that constantly use text and instant messaging may have difficulty with literacy and expressing themselves in writing form. The research shows that text messaging has deteriorated how we communicate and express ourselves because textisms have become an easier and quicker form of communication that has affected literacy in children and adults.

    Read More

  • Texting and Cell Phone

    1253 Words  | 3 Pages

    The question of young people and cell phone use and texting causing young people to be less able to concentrate and focus has always been a difficult one to answer. Technology gives teenagers so much but includes many drawbacks. Cell phone use and texting has it’s advantages such as teachers embracing tech,uses for educational purposes, and easy to use;however,some drawbacks are as socializing,time away from homework,and bad communication skills.

    Read More

  • How Communication Has Changed in the Last Twenty Years

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Phones have changed over the past twenty years and have had a positive and negative effect on people. Man kind as find many ways to communicate and stay connected with each other and the most common way is by a cellphone. Phones Cellphones have become one apart of our daily lives and some people just cannot live without them. In fact people use them more like computes than an actual phone itself. Most people let their phones control their lives and if their not carful it could have some serious consequences. Phones continue to get more and more advanced as time moves forward. However, in the beginning phones had a tough time getting out to the public however, if it was not for the first step into technology we would not have the phones we have today.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Talking To Friends And Texting

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like the rest of the world, I cannot go a day without my phone. Try leaving your phone at home for a day and let me know how you feel. With the growing technology my phone is like my arms and legs. It is my must- have- can’t live without phone. It is my connection to the outside world. It is my connection to other people’s lives and theirs to connect with mine. The “cell phone” started out as a form of communication via calling and then it exploded with text messaging. Now it seems that most people would prefer texting then calling someone.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Cell Phone Usage on Our Social Life

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cell phones have changed from an item of luxury to an everyday necessity for some people. Twenty five years ago, a phone was just a way to contact someone. Mobile phones have become one of the most common tools of communications for both young and old. Cellular devices have redefined relationships and social conduct, and transformed the daily lives of many individuals. Cell phones no longer function just as a communication device. Today it has many other uses. Cell phones are used for games, calculators, texting, calendars, social sites, and pictures. In addition, there are many apps that one can download on a phone. Mobile phones help us keep track of our lives.

    Read More

More about Cell Phones and Text Messages

Open Document