1000 word essay Module 2 ( Destruction of the Social Infrastructure)

Destruction of the Social Infrastructure
Everyday people question the lives that they live. What am I doing today? Where am I going? But do people account for the bases of their actions, fundamentals and what cause them? Daily we are subjected to thousands of sensory images. Consciously and subconsciously we are affected by them. Cell phones have become a wide spread phenomena, but did we ever think that something as simple as a cell phone or basic technology would have such an affect on the fundamental structure of our social lives. Hans Geser describes this in his article, “Undermining Mobile Technology from a Sociological Perspective”.
The break of social bonds is becoming more prevalent within my generations and generations to come. Hans Geser in his article “is the cell phone undermining the social order?: Understanding Mobile Technology from a Sociological Perspective” gives his thoughts, and break down of the social infrastructure and how were losing fundamentals, by a social stand point. Cell phones, do we need them? Sure they’re a way of easy communication, and a way to be safe in case of an emergency, but what is really going on with our cell phone addicted society? First of all we are losing the base for social interaction and communication with our peers. For example, when people text they use a form of short hand. A different type of language, but when they start to do in their daily writing like bill paying, resumes, or grocery lists the informal lingo becomes part of our everyday life, and we lose the base for formal writing. But the inconsistencies don’t end with informal language.
Have you ever been in a movie theater and had your cell phone go off or hear someone elses? What about when you’re in class or a place of study. We all have been there before, when a phone rings and people disscuse their personal problems. I personally find it rude and disrespectful. It’s another aspect that people show a lack of respect with cell phones. You can’t even go into a dentist office or even in a restaurant without hearing someone’s phone go off. In a social setting we may talk to our friends informally or maybe use slang, but what about when we talk to an employer, teacher, or even a parent. With cell phones we’ve lost our manners, through texting and informal communication.
People no longer need to be confined to one place, they can be on the move and still be connected to the world. Today all of us have busy schedules and need to be in so many places at once and cell phones provide us this luxury. They have GPS, movies and song downloads. They have touch screens and data bases that help keep our everyday lives in order. Before cell phones people were still able to do the same tasks we do today. Why is it that we have become so dependent on such an “antievolutionary device” as Hans Geser states in his paper “Understanding Mobile Technology from a Sociological Perspective?” In his analysis, he explains to us that people seem to be sheltering themselves from meeting new people. Cell phones give us only connection to those close to us. “cell phone numbers are usually only communicated to a narrow circle of self selected friends and acquaintances.” (Ling 2000). This shows a link to closure rather than excepting new people.
Another aspect of this is the medical field. Many speculations of cell phones are said to be causing cancer and some birth defects. “Scientists agree that high frequency (Ionising) radiation, such as that found in X-rays, can break chemical bonds in the body and damage DNA, Potentially causing cancer and birth defects.” (Carpenter, pg.11) So not only is our ability to function outside of formal social standards, but now we have to consider the destruction of our own health and possibly others. Of course, it’s still in question whether or not these ideas are correct and we should consider every aspect of the cell phone and the effects it would have on our everyday life.
Is it just cell phones we’re worried about or is it much more than that? People are even considering that the cell phones are becoming such a huge wave, that people will no longer need a computer. As I have discussed above, cell phones do just about everything. They have music, TV, games, internet and many more features. In the Wall Street Journal, they printed an article titled, “Time to leave the Laptop Behind”. In this technology age we have come so far, and now cell phones or “smart phones” are taking the mobile market by storm. “The Result: many travelers are now using smart phones the way they used laptops.” (Wingfield, pg.1) In a business setting, this shows tremendous efficiency and organization, but is it starting to affect the way people communicate in a business profession. As of right now laptops and computers don’t seem to be a thing of the past, but “A survey in January, 2008 reports 1,402 technology users said they rely exclusively on smart phones while on the road “. I think Hans would agree that this is another attempt of propaganda that is destroying the building blocks of our social structure.
Cell phones have given us many break throughs in technology, and have made everyday life a bit more convenient. But as I have shown, as well as Hans Geser, cell phones seem to be more of a inconvience. They have proven to be a distraction for people in classrooms, doctor’s offices, and movie theaters. They are starting to show signs of cancer causing agents. Its even come down to a lack of communication within social settings among peers. We have lost the ability to speak to one another without using slang, texting, or the improper usage of the English language. Will technology ever have a limit? How far will we go to disregard the bases for the fundamentals of living and comprehending daily life?


Bibliography

1) Carpenter, David O. "The whole Truth about Cell Phone dangers". Bottom Line Health November 2008: 11-11.

2) Wingfield, Nick. "Time to Leave the Laptop Behind". Wall Street Journal October 27, 2008: 1-1.

3) Ling, Rich (2000), Direct and Mediated interaction in the Maintenance of Social Relationships”, In: Sloane, Andy and Van Rijn, Felix (Eds), Home information and telematics: Information Technology and Society, Boston: Kluwer, 61-86