Personal Narrative on Technology 101
In the early nineteen hundreds America was a country with minimal ranges of technology compared to the twenty first century that we live in today. Technology has become a wide base for inventions that help make life’s hardships seem much easier and less complicated. In the average household you can find at least ten different items that fall under the category of technology. These items can be big or small but are all designed with one purpose: simplifying life. In my personal life I use a computer, cell phone, TV, and an iPod most commonly but without appliances like the microwave or washing machines I would be spending much more than an hour a day on my household chores. The use of an automobile is also very important in my daily life, without it transportation to one place or the next would be very time consuming. Advances in technology happen plenty often and are always forcing new purchases in order to keep up with the rapid movement of society. Like many other people technology has most influence over me through the cell phone.
I am an eighteen-year-old girl who attends a state college and works a part time job. My life is often so filled with activities that I don’t often notice how much technology I use and how it influences my life. Being a college student just about requires an individual to own a laptop, I just recently purchased a Mac Book Pro from the Apple store. I use my computer for many different things such as the Internet, listening and downloading music, photos and word documents. Owning my own computer has given me a sense of respect for being able to quickly access a large amount of technology. The television is my favorite type of entertainment, when I come across spare time my favorite thing to do is to catch up on my recorded TV shows, not only can I turn on the TV whenever I want but thanks to technology I can record and save so many as twenty TV shows to watch at my later convenience. Since I am always on the go; usually travelling between school, work, and home, I use my frequently iPod while engaged in these activities. I love loading my iPod with new music to jam to while on a long ride or simply working out. It’s not a lie- music soothes the soul. During an average week I use a variety of technology just while I am at home, the microwave and fridge are used for food while the washer and dryer clean my clothes. I definitely appreciate my household appliances for doing all the hard work for me. By far the most influential piece of technology in my life is my cell phone; it is my personal way of communication with the world, along with many other cool devices it carries within it. Technology aids my life all the time and I want to thank all those inventors out there who made it all happen.
The cell phone is an advanced device that has came a long way since the earlier nineteen twenties car phone. The cell phone was invented by AT&T in the mid nineteen forties and has been rejuvenated into today’s mass produced device used by billions of people across the world. Cell phones started out as a way of communication between two people, then there was a couple of different things added to the cell phone like a calculator and then texting was added; a quick typed message sent between cell phones. In the twenty first century, particularly the past five years, cell phones have made mountainous progress in becoming miniature smart phones. Smart phones have access to the Internet, can act as a MP3 device, they include a camera and even have voice dialing. By the age of twelve most children in America own a cell phone, making the device an item to have if you plan on living in a civilized area of the world.
Communication between friends, family, coworkers, and peers is essential to most people over the age of sixteen. I have owned a cell phone since I was in the seventh grade, in these past years I have gone through five phones. Phone services, like my own Verizon Wireless service, update their selection of phones every couple of months making it impossible to try each new phone. Today I use my phone for calling, texting, Internet access, gaming, photos and a GPS system. My phone is always either in my pocket or purse, I never leave the house without it. On the occasion that I am distracted and my cell phone is left behind I literally feel anxious and extremely out of touch with everyone I am close with. I have asked friends if they feel the same and not one has disagreed. Cell Phones have become a huge item of technology that has influence over teens and adults. To get a different perspective on cell phones I asked my mother, who was born in nineteen sixty, about what it was like when there was no cell phones. She told me that parents trusted the fact that their children were safe and would be home on time. Instead of constantly being on the phone with family and friends people would wait to see each other at school or work. My mother said that these days when my sister or I are gone at night her cell phone sits on her nightstand waiting for either of us to call. You can see how the times have changed to become in a way more complicated because of technological advances rather than simpler and less worrisome.
I own a Blackberry Pearl from Verizon Wireless, my phone is equipped with a full keyboard and a large screen- the Blackberry Pearl is a smart phone. I pay thirty dollars extra per month to have Internet access anywhere I go; sometimes the websites I try to access are not compatible with my phone. On my smart phone I also have access to a GPS system that takes record of my current position and allows me to enter in my destination, whenever driving this is very helpful. The Blackberry also allows email access at all times, my Internet emails get sent directly to my phone so I don’t have to wait to receive messages on my computer. My menu screen contains a couple different icons that represent fun and easy games that are provided free of charge to my phone. My smart phone has the capability of voice recording and dialing; I can also take and store pictures and videos. The most used piece of technology that my phone offers is the texting capability. I use texting to keep in touch with my friends, or if I have to collaborate with peers on a projects texting is much quicker than email. Overall my cell phone is an equipped little machine that helps me stay in contact with people and can also keep me entertained. Even though my cell phone is an asset to my person, sometimes I find that the constant beeping of a message or an email can be annoying. Making me feel as though I can’t miss anyone and therefore don’t appreciate them in person as much as I would if I didn’t always text or talk to them on my cell phone.
Dependency on cell phones and technology in American society is frightening to me. Most people experience a sense of paranoia or extreme anxiety when without their mobile device, all the reliance on technology makes you wonder where the peace went? In my experience of watching and being with my friends, when they are without there phones they always (never fails) ask to use my phone, or they wish to cancel current plans to go home and charge their phones in order to be back in the mobile world. I assure any person that they will not DIE without their phone for a couple of hours; anyone who was messaging them can wait and will have to understand their situation. I want to go a day without my phone and be able to feel content in my relaxation. Culture pressures young adults to have the latest devices that will enhance their life, but at what cost to their humanity? I say respect technology and its limits because advances can only go so far before humanity is lost.
