Sick of Cell Phones and Human Obsession

I wasn't sure where to post this but I figure it had to do with human psychology. I don't know if anybody else noticed, but over the last 5-10 years, cell phones have become PRETTY popular. In fact you would be hard pressed to find someone without a cell phone.

Back in 2006, I got my first cell phone at 18 years of age. Everybody else had one before me so I was a late bloomer. The difference is that I absolutely despised cell phones. My parents got it for me as a graduation gift and since then, by no fault of my own, I have fallen into a psychological rut because of it.

My parents never stopped calling me to "check up" on me and neither did some of my friends. Sometimes people just called at random for no reason. They would pry, asking me what I was doing, why I was doing it, and after time I started to get sick of it. I tried to make it a point to people to stop calling me unless it was an emergency, needless to say it didn't work.

Last year I made the tragic mistake of making my cell phone the main number for my business. Seeing as how I am on the road quite a bit, I wanted customers to be able to reach me earlier. Apparently, because of this, respect for business hours is nonexistent. I have customers calling me as late as midnight to as early as 5 in the morning. It got to the point where I just ignored the phone and continue to do so, however, when I am with people and they see me ignore calls, they take it as some kind of personal insult, like I am doing them an injustice by choosing who and when I want to talk to.

I brought the subject up to my parents a few nights ago and for some god awful reason, they actually feel that it is their RIGHT to be able to call me whenever they see fit and I should have to answer. At first I thought this was simply a parent thing, but after asking a couple of other people about it, they all have this same ideology. So now, I have come to the point where when I am not at work, I turn my cell phone off completely. I can't go a single day without having someone complain about this and it erks me to no end. It is so wrong for me to preserve my privacy how I see fit?

I don't even have to get into curtesy situations involving cell phones. It seems things where talking on the phone was never considered proper, it is fine now. I get irritated and yell at people who willing choose to talk on their cell phones or text during a dinner with me. I then tend to get flak from everyone at the table telling me that I am in the wrong.

There are people on their bluetooths in grocery stores, having conversations with seemingly nobody. I have seen people that have spent an hour shopping for groceries and have remained on the cell phone that ENTIRE time. I have had people stand in front of me in line and hold the line up with their cell phone calls. I don't think I have to mention the problems with driving.

Worst of all, I will not tolerate in the least bit when I am having a conversation with somebody, face to face, and they deem in proper to text or talk to someone else in the middle of that conversation.


I want to get rid of my cell phone completely. I hate even looking at the thing. I don't buy into the stupid tools on it that were available for years and have become fads. I don't buy into the ring tone craze to pay 4 dollars for 10 seconds of a song. I don't give a crap about "APPS" and "GAMES" that are completely useless or just rehashed of things that have been available for years and years and years.

I want to leave my cell phone in the dust but I can't because society is completely against me. What has society come to? Are there no manners? Is there no decorum?


Does anybody feel the same way I do or am I alone on this one? Also, can anyone explain why humanity is so obsessed with being connected to one another indefinitely. I can barely stand being around some people for a one day much less having to talk to them every day of my life.

Please, discuss this bane on humanity. I am eager to hear other views on the situation.

Throw your cell phone away and get over it. Nobody is being forced to have a personal cell phone and nobody is making anyone answer it.

Tell them to pay for it if they want you to carry it. I always tell people I'm broke and can't afford one.

Got rid of mine last year and went back to a *gasp* land line. Haven't regretted it since. Some of my friends, when they find out, exclaim in horror, "but what if you have an emergency when you're out? What will you do??"

I simply reply, "the same thing I would do when I didn't own one before". People are so convinced they can't live without them, but in all honesty, I haven't missed mine. After having witnessed three people I know be diagnosed and then later die from brain cancer, (oddly on the side of the head in which they always put their cell phone to), I think the trade off is an easy one to make.

It really is an obsession, as are computers, TVs and video games. I imagine a day when we no longer have these things, and I think of how wonderful that would be.

So, my advice, for what it's worth....get rid of it if it bothers you that much. When you travel, use an answering service or check your voice mail for business calls every few hours from a regular phone. It really isn't as complicated as a lot of people think it would be.

I feel the same. Dislike them but use them occasionally for the convenience. I mostly text and rarely call or pxt. When i'm sleeping or having time alone it's OFF. Airplane mode or off and batt out. It's my main business number too but really, a cell as OP said is not an invitation to call at any hour. I don't want to be awoken at 8am if I'm sleeping in on a sunday.

I also found that I could correlate having a crap sleep with leaving the cellphone on. Wake up feeling rubbish and not well rested... either myself of the girlfriend had left eachothers cell on all night so it could talk to cell sites (and whatever else...) every few minutes. Just seemed that every time i'd wake up badly rested a cell would have been left on... coincidence?

And you are only 22 years old? Finally realized that those things do not give you "freedom" they take it away from you.

I remember back in the day when a young man would not even consider even speaking to a woman he had not been formally introduced to.

But, that is reminiscing about times gone by.

I dislike those people who think they have to speak on those things anytime and anyplace.

Stick to your guns.You sound as if you have a good head on your shoulders.

I have a friend who keeps his in the trash can.

After having witnessed three people I know be diagnosed and then later die from brain cancer, (oddly on the side of the head in which they always put their cell phone to), I think the trade off is an easy one to make.

You will hear of more of this as time goes on.

[edit on 17-2-2010 by Oneolddude]

reply to post by gwydionblack

Sick of Cell Phones and Human Obsession

S&F for honesty and survival of sanity.

(I pray each night for the return of the rotary phone and the carburetor.)

reply to post by redoubt


You can set you land line phone to the pulse dialing method which makes it just like a rotary phone and if you want to spend the money you can easily change your car to run with a carburetor.

My favourite way of describing a 'cell phone' (we call them mobile phones here in Australia) is simply this:

The Invisible Leash

Having said that. I couldn't live without it, i have not had a landline for 7 years and wouldn't have one if i wasn't running the internet through it.

[edit on 17/2/2010 by SilentShadow]

Yep, that's what the "off" button is for. I'm guilty of not charging mine for days. I'd get rid of it, but I do like to have it when I'm away from home since it's so hard to find a payphone nowadays.

The only time I've answered my cell while talking to someone was when my husband was taking care of our sick son. Then I asked the person if my husband called would they mind if I answered and why. Dang those cell phones cause more rudeness than anything I can currently think of.

[edit on 17-2-2010 by Mountainmeg]

Wow - Thanks for this thread...I feel just as you do OP.......i've often wondered in amazement when driving about just how many people are on the phone or texting or even trying to use a laptop...........i've wondered are people really that lonely that they must talk to someone ALL the time.....geez it wasn't to long ago when no-body had a cell phone and we even went on long trips without them.....i've told people that I have a cell phone and it does what its supposed to do.....make and take telephone calls...nothing else....nothing more.....

I have a cell phone for emergencies only. My husband has one through his company. He's on the road a lot too. Customers call all night long expecting him to walk them through something and troubleshoot over the phone at 3 am. Most times it's not a quick 5 min conversation. It can last for an hour or more, and if the fix doesn't work, they call again, and again, etc. Even on the weekends he gets calls as early as 5 am. This isn't an occasional thing, it's ALL the time! I tell him not to answer, but he says it's bad for business if he doesn't. He doesn't get paid for this and it pisses me off.

They do come in handy in an emergency, but like everything, people abuse the heck out of everything.

reply to post by Oneolddude


Funny! I was going to mention how it was a big deal when our family got a touch dial phone, and "upgraded" from the turn dial. Only one phone in the house too! And boy, that thing was sacred....you didn't DARE give that number out unless you had permission from the parents and a darn good reason. And even if they said yes, you had to give your friend the dissertation on when they could call - and when they BETTER NOT, otherwise you'd get your hide tanned AND grounded for a month! Before noon, and after 6:00pm were no-no's, and Sundays were completely off limits. That was also back when we only had one TV, and it was a black and white with rabbit ears. Only six channels....four on VHF, and two on UHF. And remote controls? What were those??? You had to get your butt up off the couch to turn the dial, and God forbid you wanted to watch UHF, because they were darn near impossible to get clear. The old jokes about making someone stand with rabbit ears are very true! Sometimes, all you'd have to do was just touch it, and in doing so, you'd make yourself an entire antenna, which would automatically improve the picture. Funny stuff!

Those were the days, when children (including me), went to bed at night dreaming and wishing for a whole year that they'd get their very own bicycle, which usually ran about $30 or so, depending on the brand. Our wants were simple. Our play was outside. TV was designated to children once a week for a couple of hours, but only if they were good - Saturday morning cartoons! Our games were made of imagination, (and probably a few trees, some discarded boxes and some dirt as well!) What memories!

Im inlove with your mind, as i have wanted to bring this subject up many times. I carry no cell phone and people did have no need for it before the 80's. 70's were the times when there were alot of activists and protests and at a time where cell phones would have been handy to communicate with eachother but the walkie talkies were the norm. Now it seems more of a distraction. I too cannot grasp why i get the most crude of looks when i make appointments and i tell them i dont have a cell phone only a home phone number.
There is too much technology with cell phones that inhibit privacy so i believe its another control mechanism where privacy is invaded and can be invaded anytime.
Actually im more confused with this device as my other half wants to get me one to have on his contract and even though i dont like them i agreed. But even when i have one i hardly use it unless of course a good excuse is in an emergency. But humanity survived this long without it. So to me its like alcohol and smoking a crutch to pay more bills.

I too have had people I know get cancer from those infernal things. The latest one was a nice young lady who checked out groceries at our local Kroger store. She carried hers in her right rear pocket of her jeans. I just saw her a few days ago, after losing a hip to bone cancer, and having a complete hysterectomy. Her surgeon told her plain that the phone probably caused the bone cancer. I know people who think I am a "loser" for not owning one, but i feel no need to have a radioactive device on my person, and near my head.

I have never been a big cell phone person....ever. I own one but rarely use it other than while traveling and even then, I don't ever really use it, I just have it with me for the "just in case" moments life can bring.

My friends cannot live without them and many have done away with their land lines all together. I cannot STAND trying to talk to them because they constantly break up and I can hardly ever hear them well. I feel like I constantly have to ask them to repeat themselves and it really is just frustrating.

And of course, I'm often the butt of their jokes because they just can't seem to understand that I don't want to be "accessible" all of the time. I actually need my time to myself without any distractions...I want to be left alone sometimes to just regroup or refocus (whatever you want to call it). Having a cell phone these days makes that nearly impossible.

reply to post by gwydionblack


I am with you, do not have a cell phone much to the chagrin of my daughters...love my land line, if my high speed internet goes out for any reason I still have AOL bring your own access and can use dial up to get on line, plus if the power goes out I keep a non-digital phone plugged in so I can still use the phone...thank goodness most of the suburbs where I live have banned cell phone use in restaurants, now I don't have to listen to useless phone conversations, yes 99% of those calls are not necessary...also texting and holding a cell phone up to your ear is illegal in most areas here, sure it will go statewide soon, you take your life in your hands every time you get into your car, cannot tell you how many times someone on a cell phone almost hit me...

I to hate my cell phone. I like to be alone sometimes. People love to call me and ask me stupid things because they are to moronic to use google. When i stopped awnsering my phone.... they just started showing up at my house or work demanding help.

Im about ready to tell my grandparents to $%^& off.

Looks like I hit the nail on the head. I'm pleasantly surprised that so many agree with my sentiments.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


They do pay for it, part of a "Family Plan". Trust me, I would not be spending money on something that I don't want, haha. If they stopped paying it would be gone.


reply to post by emeraldzeus


I understand where you are coming with technology. While I can't denounce it completely (my career is in computers) I can say that I do regulate it unlike other people. I used to spend all my time playing video games but I guess that is pretty normal for a kid. Over time I grew out of my reliance on technology and have found how much I despise it. I know some people that will make their plans based around things like playing games or surfing the web, and it is utterly ridiculous.

Recently I have found the beauty in older inventions such as the rotary phone and various hand held tools as compared to today's "modern" ones. I may be part of the new age but I love to research and dissect anything that is analog or earlier because it was THESE inventions that actually helped society rather than hindered it.

I too have become aware of the cancer prospects of cell phones and it was always one of the reasons I did not want it.


reply to post by Oneolddude


Still 21 years old but regardless, it isn't like I "realized" suddenly. I have always hated cell phones. I feel very much the same way about iPods, iPhones, eReaders, PDAs, and even laptops to an extent (for the people who can't go anywhere without their laptop or netbook).

I guess you could say I'm more of an old fashioned guy. I don't know how I came to be that way because I certainly wasn't really raised in that fashion. I usually don't talk to girls unless introduced, and I don't kiss on the first date. I believe in table manners and decorum. I believe in giving people undivided attention when they are speaking. It is little things like that which I have adopted from unknown sources to make me who I am. A lot of people don't like it, or don't understand it, but I'm not here to please other people.


reply to post by emeraldzeus


Needless to say I grew up in an era where I had more advancements then yours. I'm not going to lie, I had quite a lot. I never really struggled to get anything so I guess you could say I was spoiled. But at the same time I was disciplined (the old fashioned way, which I am actually quite THANKFUL for), I had ground rules to follow, and limitations were placed upon me. Over time I've had everything I ever dreamed of having but sometime in the last two years it all seemed for naught. Material objects no longer interest me in the slightest. Knowledge and activism are now my new wants and needs in life and most of the things I have today are simply to meet those purposes.

But I do know what it is like to want something... and never get it. Even as a child. What was given to me in material form was usual always kept from me in emotional form. Perhaps it is the evening out of such things that made me who I am.






I think I have decided then that over the next few months I will get a landline for my business and I will change my ads to reflect that. I'll keep a message on my cell phone for awhile with my new number and then hopefully I will be able to get rid of it. Save my parents some money each month and instead, I can just get one of those little trac phones purely for emergency use.

If other people don't like it then too bad. I'm tired of it now.

Thanks for the replies.

Boundaries.
Erect and jealously defend them.

Demand respect and it will be yours.