Looking at all the technology I use, and all the social media and apps and gadgets I use, I think the thing that has shaped me the most is text messaging. This can include not just standard text messaging, but also messaging apps like snapchat and skype. I don't post on social media enough to view my life through the lens of "how shall I post about this on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat story?" (Although I am guilty of scrolling through them shamlessly when I'm bored and need a mindless distraction). I've heard that being glued to our phones actually makes us lonely. But for me, I couldn't imagine how lonely I would be without it. Most of my friends are nowhere near me, they live in my hometown, or in North Dakota, or way out on the East Coast. The only way I can contact them is through text messaging and similar apps. There was a time when I used letters, before I had a phone. As exciting as getting a letter in the mailbox is, it was so frustrating having to wait weeks, sometimes months to hear back. By then, I had often forgotten what I had said before. Now with text messaging, I can get a response any where from a few minutes to a maximum of a couple hours. Staying in contact is infinitely easier, and plans can be made within a day or two. Imagine trying that with letters!
Texting has definitely shaped my social life and how I interact with my friends. But I have to admit that there is a major problem I've noticed. That is, every time my phone buzzes my first instinct is to check and see what notification is on my screen. I have to actively restrain myself from looking, or put it out of sight. It's almost like I'm one of Pavlov's dogs getting a treat. In a sense, I am. My brain is totally wired to associate my cell phone notifications to a reward, aka a message from someone I really enjoy talking to. It affects how I go about my day because unless I'm in class, it interrupts what I'm doing and I have to get entirely refocused. Sometimes if I don't respond immediately, I just forget that I have a message until hours later. I feel like this isn't an uncommon occurrence for people, especially those not only glued to text messaging, but who do also keep active on social media. The notifications have us trained.
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ReplyDeleteI also feel that texting has changed my life, but in most cases for the better. My boyfriend and I met when I was a junior in high school (he was a senior), and now 5 years later we're still together despite going to different colleges and now spending 4/5 of our relationship from a distance. Without texting, facetiming etc I know this wouldn't have been impossible. Texting and phones in general allowed us to pursue our own journeys but still stay together and grow/mature as a couple. I will forever be thankful for the development of this technology!!
I never realized how largely my life was impacted by texting. It never clicked for me that texting is a separate entity from my phone, because I can message from a number of different platforms. I think while texting has lead me to make some questionable decisions, like focusing on responding to a message in class instead of paying attention, texting benefits my life more. I live 1,000 miles away from all my friends and family. I could not imagine having to wait days or weeks to hear from them. Texting lets me stay close to the ones I love while I venture out far from home. In this way, I think texting is a big positive in my life.
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