MOBILE PHONES:  A BOON OR A CURSE

Mobile phones, that has altered our way of living to an unbelievable degree, is the most advanced technological product which has become a staple of our society and has started a new era uprooting the old modes of communication like beepers, postal letters, trunk calls and telegrams etc. totally. These phones are of great influence in our lives, also used by almost people off all ages, with everyone from elementary school kid to senior citizens, owning at least one and is a resource with great advantages and excessive utility. Previously cell-phones used to be a craze, symbol of money, success and status etc., but today it is a necessity and has become such a fixture in our day-to-day activities that we feel deserted and helpless without it.  

Certainly, cell phones have made our lives easier and comfortable, as we can effortlessly communicate to anyone residing in any other part of the world very conveniently. Apart from this, more than half of the average individual calls and texts to different people are connected through this wider social network. People can connect with others their co-workers, friends of family members any business query and can share any news or information immediately. Mobile phones significantly also help to maintain physical and psychological health. This enable any career woman to maintain their roles within the household, simultaneously as being wives, mothers and wage earners.

 Secondly, it is the most multifunction tool nowadays for it is not only an instrument to call but also works as a calculator, calendar, notebook, MP3 player, a handheld computer etc. and people can also surf on the Internet, check email…and so on. This technologies has accelerated the development all around us and due to its fast and effective services, it has become a resource that gives us countless advantages making each one of us completely dependent on it. 

Increased levels of mobile phone subscriptions are linked with improvements in education, gender equality and political participation, predominantly in developing countries. They are also associated with higher economic growth. The studies show that mobile technologies has influenced economics, society and people’s private lives across many countries e.g. the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, India, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa etc.  More mobile phone subscriptions are correlated with more democratic participation, less gender inequality and longer time spent in education. In all three areas, the impact of mobiles on social development indicators is stronger in developing countries. In developed countries, there are smaller effects for mobile phone subscriptions on growth.  Some of the most prominent features included on most cell phones today, are: web and e-mail access, navigation and global map access, digital tasks and calendars, games, music and download applications, a built-in camera, instant messaging, talking and the most popular of all, text messaging etc.

Cell phones contain multiple features that allow people to conveniently access information and connect to conversations faster and easier. Mobile phones enable new services and applications that provide opportunities to generate income. Furthermore, the access to information and increased communication through mobile communication facilitates coordination resulting in productivity gains. Mobiles also enable immediate responses to crises and shocks that without them may lead to destruction of crops or machinery. In practice, mobiles fill the gap that other poor or non-existent infrastructure in these countries leave wide open. Mobiles are also often the first and only way of communication without having to travel under difficult circumstances.

Mobile devices even are means to provide safety and security to people, because of the fast retrieval and direct connect. They make people and services readily available in case of emergencies and other social and economic activities. Parents, too, feel a sense of relief when they know their child can pick up the phone and call in any such circumstances. Today, College campuses are filled with students who keep their cell phone with them at all times, especially girls who can ascertain her safety by keeping her cell phone with her while traveling alone. These days phones are a life source to some people   because when we look around in a crowded public place, it seems that everyone is either talking or tapping a message on a cell phone or busy playing games and many have ear plugs into their ears, deeply engrossed in listening to music. Apart from being used as regular phone, some phones are basically miniature of computers and you can do your entire work on it thus reducing the need for computers.

Services to Mankind:

·         Emergency: If you were on the highway and your vehicle broke down, the cell phone would be great to call for help.

·         Texting: You can get text your conversation when in public, especially in a crowded restaurant or in a store as this is a great way to keep in touch with relatives and friends all over the world also.

·         Pictures & Videos & Games: You can instantly use your cell phone to take photos or videos of any event, function or occasion without carrying a camera.  Apart from playing games on your cell phone, you can also watch movies on your cell phone.

·         Connect to your favourite social networking site: It is so simple to upload the pictures to your computer or favourite social networking site such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or You tube etc..

·         Flexible Plans: Some companies are much more flexible with the best cell phone plans for families with some price comparisons. There are companies that require no contract, no credit check, and give unlimited calling and texting for one flat rate per month including taxes. There are cheap cell phones plans available to fit any budget. Some have unlimited web access, GPS capabilities, instant messaging, and even free directory assistance. This serves as an all in one product.

·         It can be a communication tutorial: Nothing more than a cell phone comes to great help in emergency. You are driving by the freeway and the vehicle jams and cell phone comes to your rescue. You are stuck in a lone place, again call somebody and ask for directions. Parents can be a little less worried about their kids by being in constant touch with them. 

·         Internet handy: If you’re a net-savvy, you can have Internet handy all the time and anywhere the signal of your cell phone provider can reach. 
Trendy and stylish cell phones can be used as a bait to receive attention. It can be part of fashion and styling. 

·         A good mode for marketing/ advertising: From the industry and economy point of view, cell phone companies (communication industry) is flourishing with market capital in billions. This is a good thing for the economy to be smooth and healthy. Companies find it yet another medium to advertise their products; so another medium to reach the consumers. Nowadays, cell phones are not just phone calls; they’re about messaging, video, songs, games, alarm clock, notes, calendar, reminder, etc. So one equipment, lots’ of uses! Although cell phone use can be dangerous while driving but sometimes it can be a time-saver - you are driving and simultaneously discussing some urgent matter as well. A sensible and only urgent usage during driving can be a great help at times. 

Today mobile phone is one the major necessity of life and its numerous advantages, its use is increasing day by day. On one side where this technologies is a blessing in disguise for us, there it too has an adverse effect on us also. If we consider the advantages towards the disadvantages, it shall be easy to obtain an accurate understanding of the most destructive effects of mobile phone use in our society.

Adverse effects of a mobile:

1.    Wastage of Time and Money: A lot of people are addicted to their cell phones when they are not doing anything and then they tend to interact with their phones to distract or entertain themselves. This constant reliance on mobile phones is having a negative impact on people’s interpersonal skills. People are wasting lot of their time in sending unnecessary sms (messages) to one another through their mobile phones. This is totally wastage of energy, time and money.

The youth of today dream high but have no plans to achieve them as they are not focused at all. Self-evaluation is lacking in them due to which they themselves not aware of their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to create the best possible task to accomplish. Most of the time they are either busy in mobiles or hearing to music with earphone plugged into them the use of this self-evaluation instrument not only leads to significant changes but also contributes to the professional development any child. The art of conversing, discussions or debating is fading away amongst the youngsters. They should realise that when you interact amongst each other, your mind set is developed and great awareness is awakened within. Many a times when I have had a conversation with some of the youngsters, it is indeed astonishing to know their thoughts: I realized that they are not looking forward to anything at all, instead all they hope for is to settle and lead a comfortable life but to what purpose? Most of them look forward to getting married, buy a house, buy a car, have children, have a career but none of those things seem to have importance to them. Is this what is expected of them?

2.    Negative Effects on Students: Students do not give proper time to their studies and waste their time in playing games, listening music, watching videos and reading messages on their mobile phones. They are huge distraction in learning institutions, meetings and other gatherings especially with the invention of hi-tech phones those that can easily access the internet and support games and multimedia applications. Children are becoming distant from their parents because they are always on their phones focused on other less important things. Many people today, mainly teenagers, admit that having their cell phone by their side always is necessary. If the cell phone is left at home or elsewhere by mistake, the feelings of anxiety, frustration and “paranoia of missing a text message” occurs, which affect their mood. Cell phones are interfering with personal relationships.

 

3.    Negative Effects on Teenagers: Teenagers today, allow cell phones to consume their lives, and distract them from tasks and responsibilities. Parents are not aware about the activities of their children. Teenagers’ boys and girls communicate each other through their mobile phones and do negative kind of activities. This is very dangerous and major negative impact of mobile phone on your society. Our new generation is totally destroyed by this negative aspect of mobile phones. Nothing more can be a distraction for a teacher in the classroom, when a student’s phone rings as these cell phones are increasingly becoming a problem for the schools during classroom hours and are becoming a means of cheating during examinations and other kinds of ability tests. All this is really bad and does hurt the future of the student, who doesn’t realize that he/she is him/her-self responsible for it. Some students are even texting during school or using the phones camera ability to cheat. The phones camera also allows them to send pictures to one another which may be inappropriate and can get them in a lot of trouble. The phones internet capability allows Facebook addicts to go on anywhere, anytime. This can lead to other life problems in relationship, family matters, or in the workplace.

Due to all this the children are getting matured much beyond their age which does not let them enjoy their childhood else enter into wrongful practices.

4.    Negative Effects on Adults: There are the people who text and drive, where some surf on the internet while driving, which is even more distracting. This is rather very dangerous and adds to the chances of meeting with serious accidents. This critically increases the problems for the safety of lives, as well as other fellow passengers. Even pedestrians who are too engrossed on their phones and wander off into the road without looking here and there. Not only does it cause problems on the roads, but also many other places including in schools and at home.

5.    A Communication Tool for Criminal Purposes: Mobile phones now becoming a major communication tool for criminal’s activities. People are using this fastest communication for terrorism and other kind of criminal activities. We must overcome these negative impacts of mobile phone use on our society otherwise our society and new generations will be completely destroyed. And, their own crime strategies are invented by using this technologies in the majority of cases. Mobile phones also have increased up street offences and breach of moral ideals. Lots of immoral and so-called love tales discover their existence through the misuse of this technology.

6.    Negative Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Our Health: American Cancer Society has proved that cell phones emit electromagnetic radiations (EMR), called radio-frequency energy (RF) which are radio waves and can cause cancer. These EMR also has bad influence to our health for people using cell phone frequently have more risk to get ear and finger diseases. In addition, electro-magnetic wave from cell phone can cause more diseases like epilepsy, childless male and especially brain cancer. A worrying fact is that a large number of people using cell phone are unaware of the bad effects from cell phones. According to a new research, mobile phones are greatly contaminated with different types of microorganisms especially bacteria which cause a lot of diseases. A few apparent hearing and brain diseases possess appeared because of to the excessive use of these devices. Furthermore, eyesight problems are also observed among many crazy mobile users.

 

7.    Negative Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Our Environment: Mobile phones use has a dangerous effects on our environment including birds, mammals and pet animals. The animals which are more exposed to radiations emerging from these mobile phones or towers have many abnormalities as compared to those who are not exposed to these types of radiations.

8.    Nomophobia: It is a sort of disease in which one fears of being out of mobile phone contact. Mobiles become an addiction. Unlike addictions to alcohol, drugs or even gambling, it can be hard to pinpoint problematic cell phone use. Almost everyone has a cell phone and uses it regularly. Men and women suffer from the phobia and feel stressed when their mobile phones are either off or not with them. When there is a moment when you’re not feeling complete or when somewhere inside you’re missing something, a sense of insecurity sometimes prevails… welcome to the world of cell phone addiction! But if someone can’t get through dinner without sending text messages or furiously typing on a personal digital assistant during a meeting, it may be time to take a step back.

Majority of young students are prone to be showing emotional instability throughout their transaction to adulthood towards mobile phones and this situation causes anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness and depression. The excessive users of mobile phone also become a victim to various mental, physical and psychological diseases. Some people (especially teens) get so much addicted to cell phones for talking, video, messaging, games, etc. that they forget the real purpose of the phone and waste large part of their time in unnecessary interaction over their cell phones.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of cell phone dependency has been alarming for years now, but it’s become even worse recently with the introduction of smart phones. These phones let you do just about anything – make calls, text, browse the web, play music, watch videos, send and receive emails, take pictures, lookup directions to anywhere in the world, check the weather forecast, choose from hundreds of different games, and more. There’s nothing wrong with owning and enjoying a cell phone, but it becomes problematic when cell phone usage interferes with your day-to-day activities and relationships.

Therefore, we can clearly observe that apart from being helpful, mobile phones however are also very dangerous. In retrospect, today’s cellular devices can be very negative at times and may even cause some serious problems, but when used properly they can be a very wonderful thing. Any and all cell phone users need to learn to use them at the correct times and when necessary. We have to consider the advantages and keep in mind the disadvantages, then, we can use it in a right way. There is nothing too bad, just the way we use it make it worse. It shall be wrong to say that any technology is harmful by nature, this depends on us whether we utilize it. Favourably or Adversely?

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