A recent video on Youtube entitled "I Forgot My Phone" is about our growing dependence and addiction to our smartphones, and all its negative consequences. The video has gone viral, hitting more than 31 million views, and many people are using this short film as an example of what's wrong with society today in regard to smartphone usage. The main message of the video is clear, that the constant use of smartphones is taking away the experience of life from us. We are not able to enjoy the life we live because of these devices. This is the first negative effect of technology on society that will be discussed in this blog, as it is one that is very relatable and one that most likely effects the majority of people currently reading this blog.
The reason why this video has attracted so much attention is it's complete accuracy with today's society and their smartphone obsessions. The smartphone did not really start becoming popular in use until less than a decade ago, and ever since, the percentage of people around the world who own a smartphone has been on the rise. In fact, there are over 1.8 billion smartphone users in the world today. The more important data reveals however that the average amount of times a person checks their smartphone a day is 150 times, with an estimated 1 in 5 users addicted to their smartphones. We know now that is not simply a myth or an exaggeration; it is a real problem that we are all facing and it's causing a tremendous amount of problems for us.
Looking back at the video above, smartphones bring one big consequence to society, and that is the affect it has on our experience in life. The video highlights the numerous ways our smartphones take us away from reality and how this can be problematic. When we go see a concert, we are no longer watching the artist perform with our own eyes, but through a tiny screen. When we are trying to communicate and socialize with friends, we are not interacting with the people around us, but with people online on our phones. It has even proven through recent studies that our constant usage of smartphones has started to affect our communication abilities. We are interacting in person far less than in the past, because it is much easier to send a text than to approach the person and speak. Communication is a key aspect of life, and it is being neglected because of these cellular devices.
The video does a successful job of showing just how out of touch we can become when we are using our smartphones. We are never truly in the moment, because we are focused on our screens instead. This is visible in the video with the birthday party scene, where nobody is actually involved in the important moment in front of them, because they are too busy texting or taking photos. How can we keep enjoying all of life's joys and pleasures if our smartphones are there distracting us? It is clearly evident that our smartphones are slowly beginning to take over our lives, and it is only a matter of time before reality becomes something simply on a screen.
Sources:
http://www.6smarketing.com/blog/canadian-smartphone-use-statistics/
Video directed by Miles Crawford
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