Dependency on Cellular Phones

This weekend, I went with my Korean girlfriend to Busan. All day, I couldn't help but notice how often she checked her phone for messages, answered calls, and the like. I made a comment to her about it holding the key to her life. She laughed at the time, but it was a different story later on in the evening. We had a few drinks, she was more than slightly tipsy, and after singing karaoke we did a variety of other activities. Anyway, we were about to get into a taxi when she realized that she lost her phone.

Then she panicked. I tried to calm her down, but then, I realized that her panic wasn't really unwarranted, and became genuinely concerned myself. She called her phone with mine, and a Korean fellow answered, at which point we arranged to pick it up. But he didn't show, and he wouldn't answer when we called her phone after that. Then she really became anxious...

Anyway, this persisted for a while, and I felt fairly helpless given the language barrier...I couldn't easily ask around, so I just kept telling her that she would get it back. Fortunately the guy actually gave the phone to her parents (I guess they called her phone and arranged to pick it up from him), and a half hour later when she called the phone her dad answered.

So everything ended up alright. Sure... but it made me realize more than ever just how dependent we are on these things. I never had one before I came to Korea, but now that I do, I do use it often. And she uses hers for almost everything when it comes to communication. I'm just glad she found it, or I'd be blaming myself right now, since I convinced her to drink even though she's a total lightweight.

To what extent do you (or those you know) use these devices, and have you invested enough that you might even feel lost without it?

I don't even own one. My wife has had a few, but I never much used them. They are good for road trips, and emergencies. But, I think most of them are way over-priced just because it comes with all these features and doo-dads that I'll never use.
It's insane how much these phones are at times.

Dear God do I hate those miserable little machines, always ringing and ringing. Every time I try to have a pleasant conversation with someone it's always ringing. But it doesn't just ring, it uses some annoying ringtone. I never had a cellphone and I never will, but quite literally everybody I know has a cellphone and they are driving me to the point of insanity. Yes, people are far too dependent on their cellphones. I mean, a cellphone should only be used for two second statements, "Hello honey, I just called to ask you if you wanted chicken tonight? You do? Okay bye." That's it, but no, instead they can never shut up. By the time it takes a friend or relative of mine to finish talking on their cellphones, I could read both Atlas Shrugged and Les Misérables back to back. Sigh, did I mention I hate cellphones.

The main reason I have a cell phone is for emergencies. I've had one for about 5 years now, and if you count the time I actually talked on it, it would probably be under an hour

Call me arrogant, but the only reason I have one is so people could get in touch with me. People call me. People text me. I checked my call record on my phone years ago, and I had a history of around 300 incoming calls and only 7 outgoing calls. I guess I don't bother with people much. Not to mention I'm not a big fan of talking on the phone anyway.

Like I said, I think it's a life saver when there's emergencies. I always feel safer having it when I drive and am out. Because you never know.

But I understand where you're coming from. Many friends of mine are obsessed with their phones. I have one friend that constantly gets a new "better" one with more features. Now his phone has a camera, video recorder, music player, internet access, games, swiss army knife, blah blah. I bought mine for $25. It has a camera and music player and I think I've only used each once.

My other friend CONSTANTLY checks his phone ever 2 seconds. And you know what? I don't think he ever gets any messages or calls. So it's kinda funny. Sometimes we'd go to a midnight show and he'd check his phone through it and after the film. Seriously? Who's going to call you at 2 in the morning?

Lastly, my other friend essentially uses his phone so his girlfriend could check in on him every 2 minutes. Why she has to know what he's doing every 5 seconds is beyond me...but whatever.

And when all of their phones' batteries are about to die out, it's like they're life is about to end at any second. They freak out. Running into random places with electricity outlets looking like crazy people. Sad really.

So, like most technology, it could be a blessing or a pain. Cells are great for emergencies (real emergencies btw) but people get a bit obsessed with them. People don't need to get a hold of me 24/7. I'm not that important.

I feel the same with Facebook too. It informs you personally, what you're friends are saying to each other etc. It's kind of creepy, but that's a different story.

I use it far more often than I'd care to admit. But in the world of film, they really are a necessary evil. Gotta know where everyone is, gotta stay organized, gotta stay in touch. I hate cellphones for exactly that reason. I made a short film once about our dependence on such things (in that case iPods), but I find myself needing it far too often. It's such a vicarious way of living (much like the internet) and yet...

ResidentAlien said:

I use it far more often than I'd care to admit. But in the world of film, they really are a necessary evil. Gotta know where everyone is, gotta stay organized, gotta stay in touch. I hate cellphones for exactly that reason. I made a short film once about our dependence on such things (in that case iPods), but I find myself needing it far too often. It's such a vicarious way of living (much like the internet) and yet...

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Yeah, that's roughly my experience as well, but plug in theater for film. And, I mean, we sort of matured along with them. I can't conceive of what college life would be like without a cell phone, from communicating with people on campus to family back home to friends across the country.

What I do find strange is the growing tendency that I've heard about to drop land lines and just have a cell. I value mobility, but without the stability to go along with it - that's a bit metaphorical, but I don't think I'm wrong about it being a strange dynamic.

my dog once ate my cell phone and I was like oh no what do I do. I gave my dog some quick poop medicine and after about two and a half hours of waiting my dog, Bernard, took a poop in my room and I found my cell and guess what? It wasn't mine it was my brothers who was like oh man this is not good. I have a poop phone now.
My phone was in my blue jean pocket.

Interesting replies all round, and I'm not terribly surprised by them, actually, given that they generally don't favour cell phones. Not to generalize either, but--ah what the hell, I already have in my mind--none of you are of the female gender, are you?

But seriously, in my experience more females I have known (and observed in social settings) use cell phones and at a higher frequency than males. (And funny enough, my girlfriend is a statistics analyst for the Korean gov't...I should just ask her to research the actual ratio.) I'm convinced that this is true. But, obviously guys are dedicated/addicted to their phones too. And if it's not their phones, it's a PSP/DSi "heavy" or "lite" or "air fluff" or whatever you'll have it that they're toting around. So they more than compensate in that area. But since this discussion is about phones...the girls do take the prize for most usage, I think.

I won't deny that one of my favourite activities during a slow day at work is texting her with the phone, since she doesn't use Facebook or e-mail. She uses those adorable little symbols to resemble faces...

Attila the Professor said:

What I do find strange is the growing tendency that I've heard about to drop land lines and just have a cell. I value mobility, but without the stability to go along with it - that's a bit metaphorical, but I don't think I'm wrong about it being a strange dynamic.

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Some Koreans already have this system. It's standard to now rent an apt. and not have a land line.

Attila the Professor said:

What I do find strange is the growing tendency that I've heard about to drop land lines and just have a cell. I value mobility, but without the stability to go along with it - that's a bit metaphorical, but I don't think I'm wrong about it being a strange dynamic.

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I went without a land line and a mobile for nearly a decade; if you wanted to get in touch with me, it was via written mail or in person 'cause I didn't own a computer either. Somewhere along the way I acquired more responsibilities that necessitated some kind of phone, and had both for a while. But since I was habitually on the go, I dropped the land line for mobile exclusivity.

That's where I am today. I may get a land line again, but since I was generally never home a land line seemed like an indulgence.

i have a cell phone but it is basically for emergencies, i dont call many people , i get calls from my wife on it from time to time when she needs me to stop and get something from the store, but other than that i dont need it all that much

Don't have a landline. It's been easier in our family for everyone to have mobiles. Mostly for safety sake. And yeah, in film, it is a necessary evil, though I rarely get calls, I get more emails.

I'm personally more old fashioned though, in the sense that I prefer talking on the phone or in person, than via email or Facebook.

I did have a scare recently involving my phone and a prank voicemail (from a complete stranger), which has caused me to change numbers.

I need the mobile more for jobs and career than anything else. It certainly hasn't helped my social life any. My friends are all precious about spending the money to make calls (not that I blame them, however I find them hard to take seriously as friends if they don't call and when someone sends a text it really could be anyone sending it, not necessarily your contact).

So in some ways, it's got security for emergencies but in other cases, it can be insecure, and violating.

My background's in electronics and business, and guess what? I don't own cell phone. They take too much away from life - especially those idiots that drive with a cell phone to their ear and actually take a life in an accident.

Ah, cell phones. Where should I start? Considering I live in a country that has most mobiles per capita of all countries on Earth, I could tell a thing or two of those things. In here, everyone has one, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. About 50% of kids past age five have one. And when you hit age ten, the percentage jumps to full hundred. In fact, the latest estimates say that the number of cell phones in Finland actually exceed the number of population. Now that's nuts.

I see that many in this thread view the mobile as some kind of supplementary phone. For us, it's the primary. In fact, I know only a handful of people who still got landlines, and I expect all of them to be six feet under within twenty years. While landlines still see regular use in the world of business, the complete lack of old-fashioned phones in people's homes has led to that they've actually started ripping down the lines on less populated areas of the country.

In fact, while I said that I could tell a thing or two about them, I'm afraid that doesn't cover any funny anecdotes. Those little devices are just so granted part of our lives that I can't figure out for the life of me what would be curious enough to report in detail, since I've essentially seen it all.


If you're actually stupid enough to travel into this northern hellhole, let me warn you. You won't survive without a cell phone here. If you need to place a call, there are no payphones. Nowhere. Hotel rooms still have landlines, but to place a call anywhere else you'll need a mobile. Sure, you could ask any man on the street to borrow his for a moment if you need to place an urgent call, but since we're of the wary sort, you're still better off with having one of your own. Ye have been warned. Welcome to the Cell Phone Country.


My one is nothing special. I can call and SMS people and that's pretty much it. Oh yeah, it also serves as my alarm clock. As it apparently does to all the rest, since you might have hard time finding actual ones on store shelves. There's your anecdote.

Finn said:

Ah, cell phones. Where should I start? Considering I live in a country that has most mobiles per capita of all countries on Earth, I could tell a thing or two of those things. In here, everyone has one, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. About 50% of kids past age five have one. And when you hit age ten, the percentage jumps to full hundred. In fact, the latest estimates say that the number of cell phones in Finland actually exceed the number of population. Now that's nuts.

I see that many in this thread view the mobile as some kind of supplementary phone. For us, it's the primary. In fact, I know only a handful of people who still got landlines, and I expect all of them to be six feet under within twenty years. While landlines still see regular use in the world of business, the complete lack of old-fashioned phones in people's homes has led to that they've actually started ripping down the lines on less populated areas of the country.

In fact, while I said that I could tell a thing or two about them, I'm afraid that doesn't cover any funny anecdotes. Those little devices are just so granted part of our lives that I can't figure out for the life of me what would be curious enough to report in detail, since I've essentially seen it all.


If you're actually stupid enough to travel into this northern hellhole, let me warn you. You won't survive without a cell phone here. If you need to place a call, there are no payphones. Nowhere. Hotel rooms still have landlines, but to place a call anywhere else you'll need a mobile. Sure, you could ask any man on the street to borrow his for a moment if you need to place an urgent call, but since we're of the wary sort, you're still better off with having one of your own. Ye have been warned. Welcome to the Cell Phone Country.


My one is nothing special. I can call and SMS people and that's pretty much it. Oh yeah, it also serves as my alarm clock. As it apparently does to all the rest, since you might have hard time finding actual ones on store shelves. There's your anecdote.

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Oh my goodness, no offense Finn, but from that vivid description, your country seems to represent my personal vision of dystopia.

avidfilmbuff said:

Oh my goodness, no offense Finn, but from that vivid description, your country seems to represent my personal vision of dystopia.

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Why do you have to go that far? Dystopia's closer than that; we're living in it. More and more each day. Right here in the US of A.

Reflected in the media we consume and the way in which the many **** away their existence on shallow commercialism and Hallmark sentimentality... we've found hell.

ResidentAlien said:

I use it far more often than I'd care to admit. But in the world of film, they really are a necessary evil. Gotta know where everyone is, gotta stay organized, gotta stay in touch. I hate cellphones for exactly that reason. I made a short film once about our dependence on such things (in that case iPods), but I find myself needing it far too often. It's such a vicarious way of living (much like the internet) and yet...

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That is a similar case with me as well(although you would probably tell me I make videos, not films ) Hell, I made a commercial telling people not to call/text while driving.

I've never sent a text message in my life. I talk to my friends to set things up, and of course I have it in case of emergencies, but I don't ever talk just to have casual conversations(I'd just assume do it at school) and no one really has ever had a need to talk to me. Guess I'm just not into people that much and have never have been a popular person. LOL

Mine is also a model from 2006, so I don't have a lot of gadgets I don't really need.

ResidentAlien said:

Why do you have to go that far? Dystopia's closer than that; we're living in it. More and more each day. Right here in the US of A.

Reflected in the media we consume and the way in which the many **** away their existence on shallow commercialism and Hallmark sentimentality... we've found hell.

Click to expand...

When you really think of it, the entire world is a horrific dystopia, ever since the existence of the first animals. The world is filled with creatures with minds that are never used and brute feelings that are overused. But someday the real rain will come and wash all the scum off the.... oops there I go again into that terrible misanthropy, made worse by various film quotes. Must control misanthropy, must control misanthropy, okay, I'm all right now. But seriously, there are times when I look at people and see nothing worth........ oh gosh there I go again, don't worry I'm all right. So anyway, one day all the whores and politicians will shout "save us," and I'll whisper....... My God I need help, I should try instead to remember Takashi Shimura when he said "I can't afford to hate people, I don't have the time." What were we talking about again, oh yeah, cell phones are bad.

avidfilmbuff said:

Oh my goodness, no offense Finn, but from that vivid description, your country seems to represent my personal vision of dystopia.

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While it definitely may seem like one from certain points of view, you don't quite take into equation what happens in people's minds when everybody has a cell phone and they're schooled into having on since they were very young. It stands for proper etiquette when using one driven into them by default and it also takes man's self-importance out of equation - also by default.

To every Finn, a cell phone is a practical tool, nothing more, nothing less.


Were so used to its presence so there's no need to check it every two minutes - it just is there.

There's no need for constant reminders to shut them down when you really should be unavailable (in a meeting, movies, show, you name it) - it's been repeated to death in these parts during the past decade when they really spread into every pocket.

There's no need to compare or display what bells and thistles your phone has when there's a very real chance that every other chump at least equals or one-ups you in it.

We're also well aware of the difficult situation it creates to the bystanders when somebody loudly talks into his or hers in a public place - and therefore we avoid having to do so like a plague.

And ironically there should be no need, since when somebody does, we just shut our minds out of it.


So in a way, Finland is in fact the complete opposite of dystopia. What good comes out of these things are there - and whatever inconveniences you could imagine them to cause are naught but eliminated.

I didn't want to touch those phones for the first few years, but eventually I caved in and now I feel naked without one. I can see why losing one would be a pain, I often write tidbits of information I use into the phone and tend to forget to write it somewhere properly, in case I would lose it. It's one of the things I'm trying to cut back on, not because I talk to much on it (which I do) but because it's so expensive to use.