Why are people obsessed with their cells phones?

Question

Why are so many people attached to their cell phone? I don't get it. It is because of materialism? Is it because they feel the need to follow the crowd? I read an article recently that said 60% of Americans will eventually loose their cell phones immediately buy a new one. Don't people understand that these little portable phones are filling up the landfills? Do people REALLY need to be connected 24/7 and if so, what kind of life is that?!

Answer 1

My husband's theory, which I am partial to, is: people have developed a constant need to be able to contact others.  Reason?  Infantile need for reassurance, and/or the phone --and your "reachability" -- signals to others, "LOOK how IMPORTANT I am!", meaning that it's a prop to cover a sense of poor self esteem.

I don't have a cell phone; don't see the need for one.  We get the cheap, "disposable" type in case we're travelling and need to contact someone en-route across country.

Answer 2

Well....  it's a tool for me and I can only truly speak for myself.  I have a scheduler on it, it has a clock, alarm, not to mention that when it has minutes on it I can make/ recieve phone calls.  However; admittedly if all cell phones in the world stopped turning on my life would probably go on half way normally.

Answer 3

For some people their phone is their only means of communication.  For example, I use my phone to call, to check email, msg people, as well as watch the news and check current events.  Yes, I also have a comp and a tv, so I dont have to have my phone.  But some people only have that cell phone.  With the growing number of all in one things like the black berrys and such, it happens.  

My step dad has mentioned the same thing to me and when I was younger and at home it drove me nuts that I had a comp time limit.  But sometimes older people dotn get.  I looked him and I asked..  You read the paper every day?  Yeah, absolutly, cant go with out it.  Same response to the local news, weather report, calling to speak to his clients and boss, comp to generate reports and presentations, and so forth.  But he has a different medium for each one.  The real actual paper news paper, the tv for news, satelite for weather, comp for reports, phone to call clients, ect.  

I do ALL of those things on my phone or my comp, depending on if I am home or out.  So thats why.  Instead of having 10 different places we go to for the things we do, we go to ONE place.

Answer 4

it is consumerism at its finest, we are being sold products and contracts, and as long as its cool and everyone is doing it, and there arent any cancerous side effects (that we know of) then everyone will keep eating from the trough its sad because they arent truly necessary, sure they make life easier, but they also make it harder too, dealing with people talking on their phones in movies, while driving, etc. I would really prefer a world without them to be honest, Id rather talk to someone in person than send them text messages that would mean nothing to someone from 10 years ago

Answer 5

I like my mobile phone because I feel safe with it. When I'm out on my own or with friends I feel more secure carrying it around. But I don't understand the people who are constantly talking and texting on them. Why not wait until you see them again to tell them stuff, it saves a lot of money! =] Just my ideas..

Answer 6

I can understand the appeal, but the truth is they affect people's driving in a bad way.  Also, people who yak away on their cell phone while making business transactions are also rude.

Answer 7

My personal opinion will be: besides greed, ignorance, and a race against the clock, they(people) have nothing else to do. Alternative: use them(cell phones) for emergency purposes only.

Answer 8

yeah, i know, I'm in seventh grade, and this kd in my class is like "why don't you have a cell phone???" and I'm just like, why waste money on that if I can use pay phones, even when I'm lost or out side, cause its illegal now in the U.S. to talk on cells while driving, and they just call me dumb or stupid, etc. what ever, but I might get one next year, they seem to be cool, and then I can put pics on myspace and put videos up, so yeah, i want one.