Technology and Social Norms

Technology and social norms:

With the rise in new technology and the many forms of communication, people have become less interactive in a face to face environment. In turn, social norms and acceptable behavior has changed dramatically. What is now truly acceptable in modern day society, has been completely unheard of in past years. The advances in technology; such as cell phones, blackberries, I phones, and other items has taken over as a cultural revolution.

        Everywhere you look you see people on their cell phones, multi- tasking as they go about their busy days. It has become increasingly less difficult now, with the invention of hands-free devices. It is estimated that cell phone users have increased over the past decade by 70 million users.   (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06075/671034-294.stm) With this drastic rise in cell phone users it is only natural that the use of cell phones while driving has increased as well. In August 2004, local Washington DC government banned driving while holding a cell phone. This was the first of many of states who followed suit. These laws have led to the increase in the sale and use of hands-free devices, which are still legal in most states.

Hands-free devices, when first introduced, provided a shock for many people. Who of us have been somewhere and someone begins talking next to us, and we think they are talking to us, only to find out that they are using a hands free device that you could not see. Have our societal norms changed that much where it is ok to walk around talking to people while we go through a grocery store check- out line and not even notice or say a word to the cashier because you are too busy chatting away on the phone? These circumstances are all too common, but do we really stop to think that these actions may be considered rude? It seems like the older generation is less apt to using cell phones in public places.

One of the most recent developments in the world of cell phone technology is the use of message service (SMS) or texting. Texting has taken over for many of the younger generations. There is no longer any standards to when and where texting is unacceptable. People text while driving, working, while out to dinner, pretty much everywhere.  Social settings no longer dictate when  cell phone use is acceptable, in the past many of these settings would have been considered taboo or rude.

The rise of technology has led to many advances in what cell phones can do. Things like I phones and blackberries have cornered the market, not only for cell phones, but for pagers and hand held organizers as well. Instead of having a cell phone, pager, organizational device people can use these “super phones” for all of the above.  This has led to the rise and obsession with such devices. Websites like www.crackberry’d.com are dedicated to the support blackberry users and even support the over users of these objects. Obsessions and addictions to these devices have become ever more prevalent. There are many support groups and therapy for those who have obsessions with their cell phones.