When senior Allison Kelley went to see Monsters University this summer, she encountered a common problem regarding the prevalence of technology. “The people in front of me would not stop texting and playing with their phones,” says Kelley. “It was annoying because I paid to see the movie; I didn’t pay to watch other people play on their phones. It was frustrating to deal with.”
Generally, Aragon students marvel at the pervasiveness of smartphone technology in our lives. Junior Masao Dahlgren says, “It’s amazing that more people have smartphones. A decade ago, we lived in a society where we were unable to talk to anyone anywhere at any time. Now we can.”
Smartphone use continues to grow, and according to a study by Cisco, mobile devices will outnumber people by the end of 2013. However, phones are beginning to create problems for less savvy individuals. “I feel like smartphones can be a boon and a curse in society,” says junior Christian Carlson. “[Smartphones] can lead to an increase in convenient communication, but I’ve noticed that they also can be a distraction from face-to-face communication.”
Wearing headphones in public also upsets some students. “I understand why people want to listen to music,” says sophomore Justin Chan. “But when people around me put their headphones on, I feel like I’m not as important as their music.”
Several students point out the differences between types of communication on smartphones. “When you’re texting someone, you usually want a quick, fast answer,” says Kelley. “Teens don’t want to talk on the phone usually because texting is easier and more convenient. Our generation is used to convenience.”
Although texting is often more convenient than talking, it can also create unintended conflict. Says junior Jahangir Rassouli, “You can’t hear sarcasm in a text. People can look at what you said and interpret it differently.”
Chan adds, “People can definitely be insensitive in digital communication, especially texting.”
Additionally, texting sometimes gets in the way of face-to face-interaction. Carlson says, “Real life communication is essentially the most human type of interaction. Communication in digital form comes along with a loss of personality. You also lose body language and nuance in the exchange.”
Dahlgren says, “You can communicate more wholesomely when you have the nuances of voice tone and body language at your disposal.”
The question of digital communication versus face-to-face communication also creates discrepancies. Dahlgren says, “There’s an irony in smartphone technology. With smartphones, you can talk to people across the globe, but they distract you from talking to people right next to you. I’ve seen people choose to use their smartphones instead of continuing a conversation.”
A recent viral video “I Forgot My Phone” illustrates this phenomenon. The video received over 25 million views on YouTube since its Aug. 2013 release. It documents a young woman’s day and portrays smartphone use in a negative light. All the people around her are constantly looking at their phones and texting. Regarding the video, senior J.J. Meyer says, “There was one scene where a young girl was on a swing and texting. The people who made the video were obviously trying to make it seem like she was doing something wrong, but I think it’s more complicated than that. If a young kid wants to use a phone, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Some students offer their own advice for headphone and smartphone etiquette when in social situations. Kelley says, “Don’t just randomly start texting in the middle of a face-to-face conversation. Headphone use is ok when you’re alone and listening to music, but you should talk to the people around you if they are there.” Carlson concludes, “Be aware when you’re too engrossed in yourself and only what you’re doing. Don’t be selfish.”
