Alexander Oxendine
Eng 1060
Professor Chae
March 17, 20
Wake Up Call
With the prominence of cell phones in today's society, it’s obvious that they have an effect on the users communication and social interactions. In the 1980’s when portable phones were first introduced to the world they were primarily used as an instrument of business buy wealthy elites, medical professionals, and even criminal organisation boss’s. However in today’s time even the average joe owns a cell phone. It seems as if everyone has a cell phone. Cell phones are so cheap that anyone can afford to buy one. In fact, they are such a necessity that it is likely, in the near future, that everyone who can afford a cell phone will have one. Cellphones are a relatively a new invention, and humans have survived for thousands of years without them.
So why are they such a necessity in today’s society? Most people are in fact addicted to addicted a cell phones. If you just walk around any college campus or go into any restaurant you are almost guaranteed to see people using cell phones. So our issue is, do cell phones bring people together or disrupt social interaction? Has the wireless communication device encouraged us to connect individually or disconnect socially? Although cell phones can disrupt social interaction, they are more likely to bring people together, because cell phones build on already established relationships, cellphones give the user control over their social interactions, and cell phones allow shy and disabled people to communicate easier and more efficiently. .

It is understandable that some people argue that cellphones disrupt social interaction. In an article written by Allie Caren “redefining what it means to talk in the age of cell phones” she states “We’re looking down at our cell phones when we could be looking up at all there is to see.” Everywhere there are missed opportunities for real social interactions because people have their mind stuck in a virtual world that their cell phone provides. It’s as if they can not look away. Two people could physically be within close proximity to one another but if one or both party’s is a on a cell phone then it’s as if they are not really together at all because there mind somewhere completely different. As the age of technology advances so does the use of cellphones. There are an endless amount of social mediums available readily available through cellphones. One could argue that people tend to spend too much time using these social mediums rather than having real face to face interactions. Yes, cell phones do have the ability disrupt social interaction and they very often distract people from the real world, however the positive effects of using cell phones still outweighs the negative. Cell Phones strengthen already established relationships.. The frequent use of cell phones creates an awkward feeling when in face to face interactions, and cell phones “disconnects” people from others when the cell phone distracts them.
One way cell phones allow people to connect individually is that they are primarily used to build on already established relationships. The article entitled “In­Person Contact Begets
Calling and Texting” the author states that “cell­phone use tends to occur within close relationships such as families, romantic couples, and friends,and mobile communication is likely to strengthen established social relationships rather than extend them” (612).The study shown in this article, demonstrates that people are more likely to use a cell phone if they enjoy face to face

interaction. So, the way a person’s real social life is, directly relates to the way they use their cell phones. For example, if one is just entering into a relationship then you can’t actually be with that person at all times. However, with a cell phone, you can actually be ‘connected’ with that other person at all times. This builds that relationship because it