Thursday, December 18, 2008

10 reasons not to own a cell phone

This is my list of reasons why not to own a cell phone. If you want to know about my personal reasons for not owning a cell phone read why I don't own a cell phone 

1. cost
The average person spends between $50-80 per month for their cell phone. This can skyrocket if you do not follow your specific phone plans, which are designed to confuse and trick you into large fees and overcharges. This does not include the initial cost to buy the actual phone itself.

2. dependance
Cell phones combine a dozen different electronic appliances into one small device. It is easy to understand why cell phone owners find themselves at the mercy of the cell phone itself, 'never leave home without it'. The world seems to revolve around the cell phone, instead of the person. It is common to hear a cell phone user saying they would be lost without their cell phone, and that is a scary thing.
 
3. cancer
It has not been proven that cell phones are linked to cancer, brain tumors or other psycological imbalances. However, recent tests also can not prove that cell phones do not cause these things either. It is clear that there are some health risks that we are not fully aware of, and that more testing needs to be done. It could be minor, it could be major. I would wait until they figure it out, before you are simply a statistic. 

4. replacing electronic devices
A cell phone is a calender, a phone book, a telephone, a camera, the internet, a beeper, an answering machine, a calculator, an alarm clock, and a daily planner. The simple fact that a cell phone can replace so many electronic devices is frightening, because if you lose the one cell phone you are losing so many tools. It really makes your cell phone something indepesable, and furthers a dependance on a fabricated device. 

5. annoyance
Cell phone users seem to be able to ignore this apsect. For me, cell phones are great for interuptions, and can happen at the most inoppertune times. During a lecture, a speech, or a movie. People can also elect to answer a call in the middle of a prior engagement, which can be annoying for the crowd, or even be annoying to the cell phone owner. 

6. distraction
I think cell phone use in a motor vehicle should be illegal. 85% of all cell phone users use their phone while driving and 'each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% every year'. Cell phones can literally kill you.

7. laziness
People often use their super phones to be lazy. Instead of paying attention to directions, you can simply call someone to guide you through the city. Instead of learning how to solve a problem you can look it up on the computer or phone a friend. Cell phones instant access to answers creates laziness.

8. impersonal
I find conversations on all phones to be impersonable, and text messanging to be a lame excuse for communication at all. Face to face contact is all but extinct nowadays and we have the cell phone to thank for this.

9. memory loss
Going along with laziness it is also proven that owning and using a cell phone on a regular basis will cause memory loss. People memorized more numbers and facts before cell phones and the internet. Unless you are activily trying to counteract the memory loss your cell phone will slowly turn your mind into mush. But at least you'll still have a killer razor phone for show your friends. 

10. trackable
Everyone seems to be against trackable chips in our liscenses or identification cards. Meanwhile, we all carry around cell phone that are connected to service towers and account numbers that are easily traced and tracked. Your cell phone is like a tracking device no matter where you go and what you do. I have no idea if they use this technology to track us, but it would be easy to do, and we would have no idea.

4 comments:

Pam said...

Excellent reasons!!!

Anonymous said...

Aw, man. This post showed up on the right date for me. I have declared that on Monday I'm getting my landline disconnected. The only things it gets used for is to send the occasional fax and for other people to call me up and get me to do stuff I wouldn't otherwise have to do.

I will probably keep the cell phone so I'll have something to call 911 on if I have to, but I'm going to leave it on silent mode and only check it when I damn well feel like it.

If anyone wants me, they can email me or come to my front door. I might answer.

Anonymous said...

My husband refuses to get a cell phone for the reasons you list. Now I'm starting to see where he is coming from...

Buy Dissertation said...

Whenever i see the post like your's i feel that there are still helpful people who share information for the help of others, it must be helpful for other's. thanx and good job.