The “Plugged-In” Generation: The Upside to Mobile Technology

You see it everywhere. On college campuses, in high schools, at dinner tables, and even in bathrooms. Everywhere we go we are constantly engaging our technological devices. Whether we are in class, at work, doing exercise, eating meals, hanging out with friends, or whatever, there is always someone typing away, looking down at their latest tweet, sharing their new favorite song. Yes, it’s been said before but there is no doubt that we are a generation that is plugged into another reality. In fact, according to the New York Times, “Americans took in three times as much data in 2008 as they did in 1960!” With the rapidly advancing technology and emerging social utilities on the Internet, it was only a matter of time before our culture and daily practices started to shift. Many have been quick to criticize the increased reliance on technology and its correlation to the decline of culture and humanity saying that we are losing our intimacy, our awareness of the world around us. They say that eventually people won’t even have to share time together but rather everything will take place on the web. Pretty big statements if you ask me.  Yes, I believe that this technology is changing our society in both practices and values. Yes, I believe that in some ways it can be toxic to our youth and development. But I think these critics are refusing to look at the positive in all of this. The reasons why people are always plugged in and how integrating tech into our lives is helping us. I, myself, recognize that, like anything else, an over-reliance on technology can be harmful to society but if used in moderation, improves the quality of life and has unlimited potential. Admittedly, I’m one of the tech zombies attached to my smartphone most of the day. I’m plugged in. I know it. But guess what…I love it.

My Phone & I

Last week I was walking to class, of course scrolling my way through email and changing songs on my iPhone as I went. I was right in the heart of campus when I looked up and realized that I hadn’t really paid any attention to what was going on around me for the past five minutes. It caught me off guard. I don’t know why because that is normally the state I’m in whenever I walk to class but this time it made me think. I looked around at the student body moving past me and realized at least two-thirds of the students were either operating or holding some sort of technology. Most of them engaged with their heads down even those on bikes. Whenever the desert island situation comes up, my smartphone is always #1 on the list, but this made me consider my relationship with my pocket computer and why I was so infatuated.

To call a smartphone a “phone” has become a bit outdated these days at least in the younger generation. Sure the technology still has the capability to make and receive phone calls but younger people rarely prefer to use this feature on their device anymore. The trend has been largely heading towards an increase in the use of text and electronic messaging to communicate. Dan Hesse, chief executive of Sprint states that phone use consists of “less than half of the traffic on mobile networks.” Whether it be the studies that determine cell phone usage causes harm to the brain or whether it is just easier, faster and less disruptive to text, data plans seem to be more important than minutes these days. Texting, BBM (Blackberry messaging), and iMessage are in itself a popular phenomenon. In a culture where attention spans are lacking and people want short and to the point, texting is the major option. I personally prefer this trend. Although some argue that it again further distances people and doesn’t provide the same connection, I feel that texting does fulfill its desired purpose. It allows you to (somewhat) discreetly deliver your message to its recipient without any word restrictions with immediate notice of delivery and quick response. You do not need to interrupt any activity you are preoccupied with and the results are immediate (again appropriate for our impatient society). Even the design of cellphones (at least since the iPhone) have “become less cheek-friendly” with touch screens that encourage typing and finger interaction with little emphasis on comfort while having a conversation.

But even direct communication with voice and text isn’t enough for the average smartphone user. Consumers want Internet access at their fingertips. The ability to search for any random factoid and have an infinite source of information in your pocket is obviously desirable. The ability to be able to look up a stranger, become familiar with a company, look up sports stats, etc. in the moment has become standard for the average user. But a characteristic that makes the smartphone unique is the potential for innovative applications that are changing the way we operate in daily life. These applications are not only making products and services more accessible but also changing our daily practices. Common everyday activities such as banking, travelling, and eating have all been revolutionized by mobile applications. You are now able to access accounts, transfer funds, deposit checks, and even complete purchases through mobile online banking without ever walking through the doors of a bank. Booking flights, hotels, online check-ins, and even boarding passes are now monetized on smartphones making it easier than ever. Forget waiting in lines for food during your lunch break, now with mobile apps you can complete full orders on your phone and simply pick up your food. This centralized work hub that resides within the smartphone is changing the culture of the world, making essential services always accessible and simple. The rapid popularity of these mobile applications has also opened up opportunities for other aspects of business such as advertising. Advertising within mobile apps is one of the most underutilized sources of consumer engagement. More and more users are using these apps multiple times a day, giving advertising companies and their clients an opportunity to get tons of views on banners, pop-ups, and commercials. Many companies have not been spending enough on these advertisements simply because the market is still emerging and could be considered risky. So who wouldn’t want this available in their pocket at all times? Some criticize this culture of instant gratification that could be leading our society to be less patient. But if we have the ability to create, simplify and access these services, why wouldn’t we utilize it? Because it will make us less patient? This doesn’t make any sense to me. Technology is giving us the ability to speed up our lives and make things easier. It’s the way of the future and those who are left behind are the ones complaining. I say we leave them behind.

Mobile Manners

With so much new engagement and involvement with smartphones in contemporary society, there has been somewhat of an emphasis on “mobile manners” as to how and when it is appropriate to be using your phone in public. The concept of multi-tasking has become somewhat standard, as people are constantly juggling communicating or entertaining themselves on their phone while participating in activities in the real world such as class, talking, or driving. Many states have banned texting while driving in addition to talking while driving in an attempt to limit multitasking behind the wheel and create less risk for accidents. We even multitask within the confines of our phone, absorbing different media streams. This multitasking is making us more efficient however it also adds stress and makes us less perceptive. “Lap reading” is also a common practice considered rude amongst mobile users as a focus on your phone while engaging with others makes you seem distanced and unengaged. The lack of eye contact alone has become an obvious sign of this and is looked down upon in social situations.

The shorthand and slang from texting have made it into contemporary dialogue making it controversial as to when to shorten words such as “u” instead of “you” and expressions such as “LOL” for “Laugh Out Loud.” The controversy over this has spread into the classroom as teachers are now finding this shorthand in formal academic essays and tests. The classroom is one of the many places today including restaurants, movie theaters, and libraries, where using your phone, even texting, is frowned upon as being disruptive.

Social Sharing

One of the other highly criticized new phenomenon’s brought on by the advancement of mobile technology is the rise of social media and sharing applications such as Foursquare. For the younger generation, a large majority of the time spent on applications is spent on social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. We are constantly sharing what we are watching, what we think in funny, where we are, what we are doing, who we are listening to, etc. We don’t even think anymore as to who is reading about our lives or who even cares to know. Bill Bernbach once said, “Word of mouth is the best medium of all,” a quote that rings so true today because of how technology has exploited a concept that is in the essence of human behavior. The fact is: people love to share. All the time. They share so much and so frequently that the pace of social media is always rapidly moving, always giving people new material to catch up on. The evidence is staggering: YouTube has over 490 million active users, we perform 90 billion searches A MONTH, we share over one billion items a week, you can find more than 200 million blogs (obviously this one is best though), Flickr has over 500 billion images stored, and over 150 million people are actively tweeting their every thought. With all this data to process and stay up to date on, it’s a miracle anyone ever takes their attention away from their phone! But what does this say about the users? To me, I see a society that is much more aware and in tune with what is going on in the world around them. Yes, they may be missing a walk through the park but they are catching up on information about news, friends, family, and other things that interest them. I see a way to spread cultures. You are getting a sense of what is important, cool, or controversial from a large and diverse group of sources. Being aware of who is talking about what or involved in something else is a good way to gain some perspective of those around you. If anything I think these social media sites are educating and informing the readers, giving them a whole new outlet on how we receive information.

Why We Love Our Phones

So let me sum this up. Of course there are disadvantages to being plugged in all day long. I recognize that. But are we going to see the digital age fail because of our mental limitations? Doubtful. When it comes down to it, we are just going to have to adapt and embrace our technology. There are tons of advantages to having a smartphone today and I will briefly recap what those are. With 24-hour Internet access in the palm of your hand, you can practically settle any debate with a quick search. With Internet access we also have the ability to look up anything, anytime, anywhere to get deeper information on what we are interacting with. We can easily and speedily share our interests and activities with friends and family from across continents. We have the ability to work and communicated for virtually anywhere without ever being in a work environment. Smartphones give us an outlet for boredom during dull or when you need to be kept busy. The limitations are endless and soon enough, the smartphone will become standard. Hell, look at how the popularity of tablets is exploding (just wait for the Apple iPad 3 event coming this week). Technology is surely a game changer when it comes to our social practices and culture. We are going to have to adapt to this technology and figure out how to integrate it into our lives without losing the morality that drives us to be successful.

Feel free to check out some other good arguments on the rise of mobile technology and sharing at these links below:

The Work of Danah Boyd

Matt Richtel’s excellent Pulitzer Prize winning series in the NY Times

Are We Too Plugged In? Distracted vs. Enhanced Minds

Are You An Internet Optimist or Pessimist? The Great Debate over Technology’s Impact on Society