Word Without Cell Phones

A Non-Cellular World

In today's modern world, there is a great buzz around the latest and greatest in technology. One such massively important gadget, is the cellular telephone. In the last decade or so, cell phones have gotten smaller and smaller, as well as larger in popularity. It is difficult to go anywhere without seeing a person on a cell phone, or using a cell phone in some fashion. Contrary to popular belief, cell phones are not a "god-send" in my opinion, and looking at the facts, the world would be better off without them. As all of the following evidence shows, people would be safer, healthier and perhaps even smarter, without the presence of cell phones.

First, if the cell phone had not been invented, people would not be in contact with each other as much throughout the day. For example, college students may call their parents almost every day, but without the cell phone they would not be able to talk to them as much. The same would apply for parents trying to be in contact with their children. This overdependence on the cell phone has created what is known as "helicopter parents". According to The Wall Street Journal, there are now parents who "hover" around their children to make sure everything is going according to plan. This causes a lack of dependence and responsibility for the children. "At the University of Georgia, students who get frustrated or confused during registration have been known to interrupt their advisers to whip out a cell phone, speed-dial their parents and hand the phone to the adviser, saying, 'Here, talk to my mom.'"(The Wall Street Journal). Due to the availability and ease of cell phones, students may call their parents whenever they see fit. This causes a lack of independence for the student, and a more involved parent. Children must slowly be given more and more freedom, but the cell phone is holding this belief back. Without cell phones, students would be forced to take more responsibility in their lives and take control of their environment.

Another issue with cell phones is the level of distraction they cause, particularly on the roads. As explained in consumeraffairs.com, "Drivers who don't pay attention or are distracted are three times as likely to be involved in a crash as drivers who pay attention to the road". The number one cause for distraction? The cell phone. The article goes on to site the fact that these numbers are increasing as well, due to new technological advances in the automobile. Without the cell phone, these accident numbers would more than likely decrease immensely. Gone would be the number one distraction to motorists, lessening the number of crashes.

Cancer is currently a hot topic with the country. It seems these days as if everything one can think of causes cancer in some way. The same goes for the cell phone. According to an FDA court case involving Dr. Newman, a renowned MD, "Newman's own doctors made the connection