The slavery of cellphones
By pillusch
@pillusch (1147)
Mexico
September 22, 2009 3:33pm CST
First of all, let me talk about how I use my cellphone, so that you understand where I´m coming from. I use it, would you believe it, as a phone. I have a landline in the apartment I recently rented, but I disconnected that, since it felt that all mexican political parties were to get my vote with prerecorded messages (I can't even vote down here), and Pizza Hut kept calling me with their latest offer.
I receive very few calls (and make even fewer), and I like it just fine. Those calls I receive are usually important, which means I don't have to carry the phone around with me everywhere I go, since people on the whole call me again if it is something important.
I just don't like the idea of being 'available' at every moment of my waking life. I cherish my privacy, and the few friends I have usually find a way to get a hold on me. I don´t like 'snap' visits, kind of a spur of the moment visits, and I let people know.
Some of my students commented on the stress it causes them when, already at home, presumably to rest and get a life, they get a call or text message from work. I would go nuts, how dare they? Those students are always on stand-by, and I just couldn't cope with it.
So how to you deal with this dichotomy of today's communication technologies, your life and your privacy? Is it an issue for you?
6 people like this
12 responses
@34momma (13882)
• United States
22 Sep 09
i am with you. i have a love hate relationship with my cell phone. i got it so that i can keep in touch with my children. and now it has turned into the damn thing people use to track my A$$ down. i can't stand it. and people already know they better not even think about popping up on me!!!!
2 people like this
@prajnith (941)
• India
23 Sep 09
technology has its advantages as well as disadvantages.. i really wish i dint have cell phone as its really annoying when i receive many calls but sometimes it comes in handy especially if am expecting important calls or if am traveling far or unknown place to keep in touch..
1 person likes this
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
22 Sep 09
My first memory of the phone is a big wooden box with a crank on the side, a speaker on a hinge sticking out from the front just above the writing pan at the bottom. Also there was a thing hanging on the side, attached to the box by a cord, to hold up to your ear when you talked on the phone. This big wooden box phone was fastened to the wall.
Over the years we had a dial phone, and then the cordless phone came along. Not long ago I decided to invest in a cell phone. It was given to me by Radio Shack - I thought it too good a deal to pass over, as they assured me it would cost $25.00 a month over the 4 year contract. This was a camera phone, and it had hundreds of uses which I had never dreamed even existed, and which I had never even imagined using. I already have a good digital phone and had no use for the camera option. The first bill was $200.00. A connecting charge they said. Never once was the bill less than $100, and I soon tired of the overcharging and enquired how to get out of the contract. The long and short of the story is, It cost me $1000.00 to own a Cell phone for 6 months. I never want to own another cell phone as long as I live!
1 person likes this
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
22 Sep 09
I completely understand where you're coming from but at the same time, just like any other things in our lives, I believe it's how you use it. My cell phone is only phone I use & I value my privacy as well. Just because I have a cell phone, I don't see it as being "avaliable" all the time or being on stand-by all the time. If I don't wanna be bothered, guess what?!?!?! I don't answer my phone. I'd put it on viborate & put it aside. If it has any kind of importance, whoever is calling will leave a message. I'll get back to them @ my convinience. Same thing with my work. If they're calling me on my day off, they'll wait. It's just another tool to make my life little more convinient, that's it.
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
23 Sep 09
I value my privacy as well, however I do keep a cell phone and a regular phone for local calls. My cell phone has my old Massachusetts number, and it enables friends and family from there to call me without having to pay a toll call. We have a normal land line as well, since my husband parents are elderly and not in the best of shape. It's not fair to make them pay a toll to call us when we're only 2 miles away, plus in an emergency I doubt that they'd remember to key in a Massachusetts area code.
I still have privacy when I want it by screening calls on both phones, or simply unplugging them.
1 person likes this
@med889 (5941)
•
23 Sep 09
I was a slave to cell phone till the day my father took my phone because I was spending too much time on it, then the first days were like hell, I could not live without the cell phone at all as I kept thinking of it.Then gradually I had to abide to the rules my father had imposed on me, I live without a cell phone for more than one month and you know what the day I got my cell phone back I felt it is such a useless thing after all, it should only be kept as a precaution if ever you are stuck in some places but then it is still not a priority. Today I can realize that I have saved much money instead of inserting cards in mobile. I call less, I text less and life is easy.
1 person likes this
@Bevsue (251)
• United States
23 Sep 09
Yipes! who are these people who call each other that are soooo important they cannot wait until the other person gets home to talk. This whole cellphone culture is nuts. I cannot tell you how many times I have been startled by people next to me in the store who appear to be talking to themselves like a crazy person--only to realize they are talking on a phone, etc.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
Unlike most Filipinos who are addicted to text or SMS, I hardly use my cellphone. Friends and family can reach me thru my cellphone, but don't expect me to answer right away. A friend once commented that if they would text me on a Monday, she would expect my reply by Friday 
. The prepaid credits here in my country is also more inclined to text messaging.
I miss the days where I could go somewhere and be unreachable, and this was just ten years ago. Now I cannot have an excuse of not being able to answer calls from my family because of my cellphone
.
. The prepaid credits here in my country is also more inclined to text messaging.
I miss the days where I could go somewhere and be unreachable, and this was just ten years ago. Now I cannot have an excuse of not being able to answer calls from my family because of my cellphone.
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
23 Sep 09
The perpetual problem with cellphones is that people can call you at any time no matter where you are or what you are doing.
I've gotten calls while my hands are covered with the food I'm eating, while I'm in the shower, while sleeping, on Sunday after lunch when I'm resting some joker calls me up from the office to make a joke, or what he tihinks is one - it goes on and on.
I cannot turn off my cellphone because the office pays me to keep it on and I might get a call from a family member that I don't want to miss. I also use the cellphone alarm to wake me up in the morning.
Its annoying, to put it mildly.
@rosekiss (30380)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Sep 09
I don't have any problems like that, as I use mine for taxting more than talking. I don't get any telemarketer calls on my cell phone, at least not so far. I got rid of my land line as I got telemarker calls galore. I think mostly why I don't get them is no one knows my number. 
I am glad that they don't too, as getting telemarker calls left and rght are annoying as all get out. Calling like the telemaketes do, is taking away my privacy and that I don't like. I think they are out to get to much information, and I don't think it is right at all. Have a good day, and happy mylotting. 
I am glad that they don't too, as getting telemarker calls left and rght are annoying as all get out. Calling like the telemaketes do, is taking away my privacy and that I don't like. I think they are out to get to much information, and I don't think it is right at all. Have a good day, and happy mylotting. 1 person likes this
@gmatthews (154)
• United States
23 Sep 09
I just got rid of my landline phone, because like you I get few calls and when I do it's salesmen. I have my cell on me at all times, just because I have kids and I want to know if an emergency should arise. With this in mind, I also have an ignore button so if someone calls and I am just not up to talking or I am busy...they go to voicemail. I'll call them back later. If I know where my children and husband are I just might put it on silent mode, I can always deal with texts and messages later. There was a day when we did not have cells and people survived then.
@hexeduser22 (7253)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
In the past, I never cared about my cellphone, if it rings it rings if not then that's it. I only use the phone to play games and stuff. I am somewhat a private person and I hate when someone is calling or sending me messages when I'm enjoying. Today I'm loving my cellphone because my girlfriend had gone to Singapore for work and the only thing that keeps us updated with each is through it. I still hate it when people are calling me when I'm having fun or doing something with some exceptions of course. If the messages or call is from my girlfriend and family I enjoy it and prioritize it than the things I do:)
