Summary Of Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone '

There is no doubt that in the era of globalization, smartphones have become one of the most popular technology devices of our lives and have changed the way we communicate. However, after watching a YouTube video called “I Forgot My Phone”, Nick Bilton, an editor for the New York Times, states that “life is just better led when it is lived rather than viewed [on smartphones].” I agree with Bilton that when we put away our phones and try to live in the present for a while, we will feel more connected to the world. Moreover, spending more time on phones will not improve our relationships with others, but make people socially isolated.
In the article “Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone,” Bilton provides some scenarios in the video about
our smartphone-obsessed culture, and quotes the perspectives from Charlene deGuzman, the leading actress in this video, to support his claim that smartphone addiction prevents people from living in the moment. In other words, these heavy cell phone users unintentionally seclude themselves from the world. Bilton describes some ways the public has dealt with this problem of heavy cell phone use: prohibiting people from using phones in a concert, and forbidding photography in some New York restaurants.
Experiencing life is about enjoying the moments, not playing with the phones in our hands; nevertheless, some people, especially the cohort of young adults, are doing just the opposite.
DeGuzman thinks that perhaps “the new norm” of participation in life is just about looking at one’s phone. Yet, this new way of life is just depressing. The precious moments are slipping through our fingers when people are too busy staring at a four-inch screen “during lunch, at a concert, while bowling [or] at a birthday.” We should stop checking our phones every minute, every ten minutes, or even every hour. In 2013, I experienced the most unforgettable New Year's Eve countdown party in Taipei because like the star of the clip my phone had been left at home. At first, I felt panic; the anxiety about missing important phone calls was niggling at me. However, after several minutes of worry, I started feeling relieved and happy since I was literally experiencing every single moment. I used my ears, which were usually plugged with earphones, to listen to the sound of excited screams; I used my hand, which usually held an emotionless and cold four-inch device, to hold my girlfriend’s hand; and I used my eyes, which were usually staring at the screen, to watch and enjoy the fireworks show after the countdown. I did not miss any part of the party. As the fireworks finished, I looked around and saw thousands of glowing screens. Everyone was either posting or responding to the photos or videos of
New Year's Eve fireworks on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube; sadly, only a few people were talking to the person beside them, and certainly no one was holding hands because their fingers were too busy texting messages to others. In reality, there is not even a need for us to record a countdown, a concert, or a fireworks show because someone else will upload these videos to Youtube for us. This only thing we have to focus on is living in the moment; thus, if we put down our phones, we will feel a connection to the world and the people in it.
Although some people may think that smartphones are beneficial to our social networks, the truth is exactly the opposite.
The impact of our smartphone obsession is making us lonely and alienating us from friends, family, and partners. In the beginning of the video “I Forgot My Phone”, there is a couple in bed “while [the man] pays no mind and checks his smartphone.” At the end of the video, as the couple gets back in bed, the man is still browsing the web on his phone. The woman, who is being ignored, inspires our pity, but the man is pathetic because he is “talking” to a lifeless device rather than having a conversation with the real person lying right beside him. If the man keeps doing this, the woman will not only leave “he and his phone” alone, but will also break up with the man since the more time you spends on your phone, the “easier” you will become alienated from others. Serena, one of my friends, had a similar experience of being isolated. She had more than a thousand friends and a hundred thousand followers on her Facebook, and needed to spend six hours a day on her phone to response to the comments on Facebook. Serena was using her phone during work, on the subway, and even in bed until she fell asleep since this was the only way to maintain the relationships with her Facebook friends and followers on the Internet. In the virtual world, she was a celebrity of sorts; however, no one would invite her to any activity because they thought she either already had too
many events to attend or was too busy to hang out. She told me that in the real world, she felt lonely and as if she was the only one on this planet. The method of improving relationships with others is to spend less time on smartphones and more time with humans. Don’t let phones separate you from your friends and steal your moments of enjoyment.
Clearly, the way of experiencing life is to live in the present, not to spend time with your “beloved” phone. A smartphone cannot bring friendships; it will only make you lonely. If you do not want to regret your life when you get old, you should enjoy the moment. When you drink wine, savor every drop slowly. When you watch fireworks, watch closely. When your friends are talking to you, give your full attention, listen carefully, and put down your phone.