A World Without Smartphones- Alexa Acker

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The other day in class, we discussed an article describing how someone would live for 24 hours without their phone. After, Mrs. Kopp instructed us to take out our phones and check our screen time for the week. I was astonished by what I saw. I had been on my phone for 36 hours and 42 minutes last week. I have to admit, 22 of those hours were spent on TikTok, an app that has taken over my life, but I realized what a complete waste of time all those hours were. As a result of this simple task, a new question emerged in my mind, what if smartphones were never invented and didn't exist in the modern world??

 1992 is when the first smartphones were invented. This may sound sad and depressing, but I cannot imagine a world without my phone. EVERYWHERE I go, I always have my phone. Whether it's at school, in my bedroom, at a sports game, my phone never leaves my side. What was it like in 1991, or anytime before that? Another question has been brought to my mind, does owning a smartphone make my life better, or worse? There are many positives that come with this technology. First of all, it makes it much easier to connect with loved ones on a FaceTime call. Additionally, Uber and Lyft come in handy when needing to get a last-minute ride in an area where taxis aren't available. On the other hand, smartphones have many more downsides than positives. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Addictive apps are rewiring our brains, wasting our time and making it harder to focus. Social media make us more anxious and depressed. The light from our screens reduces melatonin and disrupts sleep. Distracted driving leads to more collisions and fatalities."

 Overall, doing research on smartphones and what it would be like without them (or for at least 24 hours) gave me a new perspective on life itself. From now on, I will certainly try to limit my screen time and start living without the constant urge to check my phone for a notification. 



Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 31, 2019 at 7:41 AM

    It's crazy to think how dependent we have become on our phones! I personally don't know what I would do without mine, it's become such a big part of my life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DanielleJanuary 2, 2020 at 8:42 AM

    That is a lot of TikTok! Make it a goal for the new year to step away from the phone here and there!

    ReplyDelete

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