The Negative Impact of Mobile Devices on Society

687 Words2 Pages

On my first visit to London, I went to Starbucks with some friends. We bought our drinks and proceeded upstairs. After we sat down, the first thing they did was pull out their cellphones in search of wifi. As I looked around the table, I was struck by how the times had changed. Instead, of coming to a cafe for conversation, it was now valued more for its ability to provide internet access, rather than its original purpose of providing food and drink. Technology surrounds us. From when we wake up in the morning and shut off our alarms to when we set them at night, we are constantly connected. However, most people simply accept these innovations without considering how they have influenced us. The many negative impacts of mobile devices overshadow the positive.
Mobile devices have unfavorably impacted family life. Family life use to be defined by the dining room table, a place where children did their homework and crafts and families ate together and discussed their day. Now, the dining room table has been replaced by the TV and cell phones. Though a family may watch a show as a group, there is a feeling of togetherness and security that is missing in the lives of many teens. Quality time once filled this gap, but it is in short supply in a society where parents must juggle commitments to work, home, and their community. The prospect of quality time is made more difficult by the accessibility of mobile devices. Quality time for families has become a thing of the past, weakening the bonds between them, with the introduction of mobile devices.
They also play an important role in the development of modern children. In the past, children were expected to spend most of their time outside playing. Today, they are insi...

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... forms of communication, including formal writing. Corresponding electronically also makes it difficult to determine tone, a major factor in communication, which may have an adverse impact for the younger generation. Mobile devices have a detrimental impact upon our grammar and our ability to detect tone.
Though mobile devices may help in some ways, its positive aspects are overshadowed by the negative impact upon families, children, and our communication skills, in addition to many other areas of our lives. Even though technology has had a positive impact in many areas of our daily lives, it should not be used lightly. The influence they have on our lives is often underestimated as we have become use to living in a technological world. In the future, we should endeavor to control technology, instead of letting it control us as it has in the lives of many.

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