The first commercially available cell phone was released in 1983 and only let you talk for half an hour before it needed to be recharged. It resembled a brick in size, weight and design, and despite the hefty $3,995 price tag, people were all over it. Since then, phone technology has advanced enough to make cell phones commonplace; basic phones can be obtained without breaking the bank, and top-of-the-line smartphones are more like small computers that can also make phone calls. The pervasive presence of cell phones has changed our lives and society – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Even when they don’t present a risk to life and limb, cell phones cause a noticeable shift in the way our society functions. Text messages are swiftly replacing face-to-face interactions and even phone calls, affecting our social development and our ability to relate to others. According to MIT psychologist Sherry Turkle, this flight from conversation “can compromise our capacity for self-reflection,” a skill that is the bedrock of personal development. Writer Bio
