Smartphones: Threat or Menace?

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  • May 24, 2018 at 5:56 pm #9297
    Unseen
    Participant

    One of the problems employers are finding with hiring millennials is that of having to compete with the employees’ phones for time and attention. Some employees are so preoccupied with their social media apps that they keep their phone on and visible in their workspace, their attention split between the job and attending to and, often, even responding to what they see on their phone. They even bring their phones to meetings rather than leaving them in a desk drawer.

    But this post isn’t about millennials in the workplace. It goes FAR beyond that. Smartphones are having an adverse effect on millenial relationships, making them shallow, and ultimately contributing to a common malaise among the generation which can even lead to other self-destructive behaviors, including suicide.

    It’s known that smartphones can be an addiction, and that isn’t metaphorical. Smartphone activities can release dopamine, a pleasant and relaxing substance that also plays a major roles in other addictions like alcohol, opioids/meth/etc., tobacco, sex, and food.

    As the speaker points out, we withhold alcohol and tobacco from our children, but when it comes to smartphones, we give them, figuratively, the key to the liquor cabinet. The addiction begins in the school years and becomes very difficult to break once they enter the workforce.

    I ride local buses daily, and virtually every millennial on the bus is working their phone. Older folks tend to look around or out the window or talk to the person next to them. I’m sure you who are older than the millennial generation have noticed this as well. We even have the phenomenon of people who are killed by misadventure while texting or checking their apps. And boy, if their phone runs out of juice, the quest for an outlet for their charger is like that of the junkie who desperately needs a fix.

    And before someone brings it up, YES, you don’t have to be a millennial to become a smartphone addict.

    • This topic was modified 7 years, 11 months ago by Unseen.
    May 25, 2018 at 1:40 pm #9318
    Strega
    Moderator

    It’s not just the millennials, you’re right. In the UK, many people have an hours commute to work.  When the Blackberry first penetrated the business market, the ‘addiction’ was positive for me, as a business owner with clients in different countries.  Not only would my staff work a 7 hour day (I was emphatic that they only worked 7 hours in the office) but suddenly they were sending and receiving work- related emails for an extra 2 hours a day.

    Then social media exploded, and that, I think, is when the addiction became irresistible to so many.  So my perspective is that without social media, the smart phones aren’t all that culpable. You are blaming the window, rather than the attraction of what is on the other side.

    May 25, 2018 at 4:06 pm #9326
    Reg the Fronkey Farmer
    Moderator

    I had an angry exchange with a client this morning (he was angry, not me) because I did not answer an “important” call at 07:15. I called him back at 8:30 and when asked why I did not answer earlier I told him that I was out for an early run as today is the sunniest day of the early so far. I explained to them that they explicitly only signed up for a 9 to 5 contract having flatly refused my advice to extent it and that I never took my phone with me as I have no intention of ever “being connected” full time. He could not understand this and went on to tell me that the whole point of a smartphone was to be connected all the time and that he was proud of the fact that he had staff that would deal with orders etc. out of hours or from home.

    The guy is an aggressive bully and gets annoyed that I never get ruffled by him.His staff feel undermined by him and only work out-of-hours (for free) out of fear of losing their jobs. I have decided in the last few minutes that his business is not worth it to me and I will not be renewing my contract with him. I just looked up his “open” Facebook page and it is dripping with “look how great I am” posts. He is not social enough to warrant have a social media account.

    A few years ago a neighbor asked if I would fix his Internet connection as his 14 year old daughter was having a “meltdown” without having Wi-Fi. It took a bit longer than I thought during which time she demanded I gave her an ETA of how long it would take. She looked like she was either going to burst into tears or scream abuse. I did my best not to grin and asked her what the urgency was.

    “OMG I have to tell my BFF that I can go to the party next weekend (this was Tuesday) because she will be like so annoyed if I don’t so its super important to get it fixed”.

    OK, can you phone her?

    OH gawd I can’t use all my credit on that!!

    But it will only take a second or just send her a text message?

    OHHHHH you don’t understand we will have to discuss like everything about it.

    (My head say stop but I can’t). Does she live near by/

    Yes, across the street, is it nearly fixed yet??

    Can’t you walk over and tell her?

    NO!! WE are not talking at the moment so I can’t!!

    ME: It’s fixed, goodbye, enjoy the party!

     

     

    May 25, 2018 at 4:28 pm #9328
    Simon Paynton
    Participant

    lol

    May 26, 2018 at 12:25 am #9341
    PopeBeanie
    Moderator

    It amuses me at times the size of a crowd where every single person can be looking down at their devices for long periods of time.

    I was going to post about Tristan Harris‘ ideas on how to get beyond these techy-designed addictions.

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