Essay Example on Effects of Mobile Phones

No one can imagine living without a cellphone in the modern world. It has become part of our live, whether old or young. In e past, people had to travel for long distances or wait for many days before their messages would arrive in the form of letters that were sent to the post office. The invention of cellphones has changed this in a great way. The advancement of technology has made it possible for people to carry he hand held devices at a place of choice and can communicate with the others instantly. There is no doubt that the mobile phones have in a great way changed the lives of the people in the society. This does not mean that there are no disadvantages of the phones. There are several disadvantages that are associated with the use of mobile phones. This paper argues to prove that there are more negative effects than positive effects that are associated with the use of mobile phones and where possible, people should reduce the use of the mobile phones.

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The phones are good for the people as long as they are used in the correct way. However, many people do not use the phones for the purpose that they are intended, and this is causing great problems in the society. The misuse of device is leading to health problems, social as well as economic problems.

Looking at the health problems, the mobile phones have been associated with dangerous radiation that can cause infertility for the men who put their phones in their pockets. For the children, taking the phones close to their ears harms the brain and can cause problems such as brain tumor. The continued use of phones also exposes people to dangerous radiation that can lead to cancer. When people spend a lot of time using their phones, there may be eye problems because of the excess light from the phones and the fact that one has to strain to look at the small screen (Burgess, 2004).

The children and even youths have their internet on even when they are asleep, and this disrupts their sleep as messages pop in. Failure to get enough sleep is dangerous to the health of these individuals. Every individual in the world wishes to live a good life free of diseases, and this means that avoiding the use of phones can help achieve the goal.

The phones have also made people idler since they play the games on the mobile phones instead of going to the field to play and do some exercise. This kind of lifestyle is leading to obesity among people of all ages and obesity is the major cause of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes.

The phones have changed the social behavior of people adversely in the society. First, individuals have become less social in that they spend a lot of their time on the phone and do not engage in physical socialization. This is the case for small children who may spend a lot of time at home without going to play or even talking to the relatives at home. When they meet new people, they do not socialize and instead concentrate on social media. The friends that they talk to in the social media never get to meet them (Mooij, 2014). This means that the children are failing to develop appropriate social skills and they are likely to face challenges when they are employed and are required to work closely with the other employees.

The phones are easy to connect to the internet and many children are now able to access materials that do not match their age. Children can access pornographic materials as well as other information that mislead them. The children are copying behaviors that were not common in the past and this is why the morals of the current generation has deteriorated over time (Burgess, 2004).

The effects to the society also extend to the damages that the society has to deal with in relation to the pollution caused by the devices. Many of the materials used adversely affect he environment when not disposed well. Those mining the minerals needed to make phones do not only cause damage to the environment but also causes suffering to many people who are displaced from their initial land. As one demands more of the mobile phones, they should realize that they increase the damage to the environment as well as the suffering of people who are displaced or keep on fighting for the control of the controversial minerals (Ling, & Pedersen, 2005).

Evaluating the economic effects of the phones, many people are now addicted to phones and cannot spend even a day without them. They end buying a lot of airtime so that they can access internet or even chat with different people. While people may think that they spend small amounts, the total costs over several years amount to a large value. Additionally, those addicted to phones keep on updating their devices every time there is a better device in the market. This means that one may have several phones that they may not need. The effects are that individuals misuse their money for a device that does not give them as much benefit as one may wish (Burgess, 2004).

Many people, young or old are spending a lot of time online instead of engaging in constructive activities. The children spend more time online instead of reading and performing well in exams while old people spend a lot of time using the phones instead of working and this means that they are losing a lot because if they used their time well, they would generate income that could improve their lives (In Miller, 2013).

There are other people who are against the argument that phones are causing greater damages than benefits to the society. First, their argument is that the phones have helped connect people all over the world and ensure that people are always in touch. This has strengthened relationships where people know what their loved ones are doing and how they are. They can even share photos to tell what they are doing. The argument is a mixture of half-truths. Phones have not in any way improved relations between people but have worsened the relations. Relationships are stronger when individuals come together from time to time. However, the phones have encouraged people to be aware of each other since they think that communication through phone is enough (Ling, & Pedersen, 2005). The fact is that the social tie sand intimacy between people has been adversely affected as people do not get to meet from time to time.

The other counter argument is that phones have increased access to information and knowledge since people can communicate with others from various continents and understand what is happening. The use of social media also helps one learn from friends whatever is happening instantly without having to wait until the news are shared through the traditional media (In Miller, 2013).

While it is true that the phones have increased access to information, it should be noted that the phones are the reason why it has become difficult to get correct information about a certain issue. This is the case because individuals are now sharing misleading information and rumors at a fast rate such that it becomes impossible to understand those who are telling the truth. While this generation requires a lot of information for one to live better lives, there are great chances of being misled (Mooij, 2014).

Based on the analysis, it is clear that the benefits of phones are not measurable. Phones have changed the way people work, relate to each other as well as share information. The problem is that there are so many negative effects that are associated with the use of phones. Many people are left confused because of the wrong information that can be shared with phones and spread within a few minutes to all parts of the world. There are problems that are associated with radiation that the phones emit as well as the social behaviors change especially among the children who cannot further evaluate the information that is shared using the phones. It is not possible to stop using the mobile phones because of the many negative effects. However, people can reduce the use of their phones so that they can effectively deal with the various negative effects that are associated with their use. They can enjoy the benefits while ensuring that the negative effects are at the minimum levels.

References

Burgess, A. (2004). Cellular phones, public fears, and a culture of precaution. Cambridge

In Miller, P. M. (2013). Principles of addiction. San Diego, CA : Academic Press.

Ling, R. S., & Pedersen, P. E. (2005). Mobile communications: Re-negotiation of the social sphere. London: Springer.

Mooij, M. K. (2014). Human and mediated communication around the world: A comprehensive review and analysis. Cham : Springer.