Smartphones

Well, yeah i agree with it that smartphones are stealing human interaction. People dont socialize, instead they think that they are wasting their time talking to people face to face. I do have a smartphone and well, like others i spend much time on smartphone. I realized it when my friends said that you are always doing something on that phone, why dont you talk to us. I felt like they are right. I started to talk people face to face and that is too much fun than smartphone. I was guilty that i am using phone almost my whole day instead of going around and talking to people that's why i changed it.

 

I think smartphones are one of the signs that phones becoming more modern as we know it. Back then I have no idea that cell phones like the one I'm using right now is able to play music, videos, or even have chatting apps or any games that anyone can enjoy. I think whenever smartphones stealing human interaction or not, it depends on the people who used it, so I'm not the one to judge on this matter.

 

Smartphones have really taken away from our abilities to interact, yes, but is it the problem with the phones or the people using them? Giving someone their fair share of attention during a conversation is just part of basic human respect. If you can't control the urge to stare down at your phone while someone's talking to you, then you have to reconsider how you'd feel in their shoes.

Being that I'm typing this on a smartphone, I have to give them credit. They've made information so much more easily accessible, and they've managed to bring the world together in a way that it never has been before. However, they're also pushing us apart, because we're letting them. I've sat at a table of people who are all staring down at their phones, and frankly it sucks. We've got this technological gift, but now we have to learn to live with it such that it doesn't control us.

 

I don't even have a regular phone let alone a smart one, but it's something I'd like to have so I could browse the internet anywhere xD
I don't think they've taken away our ability to communicate, because chances are people are using their phones to communicate. Communication is more than just talking.

 

You can do this on regular dumbphones as well. There are only two differences between avoiding people with a smartphone as opposed to a dumbphone: 1) the smartphone makes it easier, 2) statistically, a lot more people have smartphones. It's not the fault of the phone, per se; it's the fault of its owner.

I own a flip phone, and will continue to do so for some time. On occasion I will receive texts when talking with people, but I will make a mental note of it and come back to it later - or, if I think it's important, steal a glance and shoot a quick reply if necessary (if not, I'll send the reply later). I can do that without cutting off a conversation with someone. Granted, I can't really hold the conversation myself - I'm better at listening then - but I let the other party know that I am still listening and engaged, and have no intent to tone that person out.

When you go into a social setting, what is it that you expect? Ask yourself this. Do you go into certain social settings to meet the people you like? Do you go to listen to someone speak? Do you go because your job or career demands it of you? Or do you just not care and would much rather be somewhere else? You see where I am going with this, do you not?

I postulate that those people who are most likely to use their smartphones to goof off in public either have something else on their minds (which they perceive as more important - and it might be, but that's not a certainty), or would much rather be somewhere else doing something they feel is better or more valuable. To them, the smartphone is a time killer. It's just a way to pass the time as you have to be somewhere you'd rather not be, so that later you can be somewhere you'd rather yes be.

I do not believe, nor will I ever, that ownership of a smartphone means that you will tend to tune others out in public, be they your friends, your coworkers, or so on. If you think that person is worthy of your respect, you will give that person due attention. Otherwise, you'll just avoid the person and try not to make eye contact, thinking instead of something else, like upcoming events, or small furry animals.

This trend has been in existence long before the smartphone was ever conceived.

 

Personally i own a lg nexus 5x and it does Mess up the interaction between people but as my Job as a designer and developer i try to create screen interaction for people

 

Agreeing with many people above, I say it's the user, not the phone itself, that's the problem, and that smartphones themselves are harder to resist. Older phones are mostly limited to phone communications and a few moderate distractions, which isn't quantitatively that much to pull away from real conversation. Smartphones can have countless games, many of which can demand near-constant attention, which can (A) draw people away from communication from other humans at all and ( interfere with other direct communication. I understand the situation though, if I'm talking to someone, I don't mind them looking at their phone for one or two times max, but after that I'm annoyed. When it comes to speaking to a real person who has taken the time out of their day to meet with you versus a game or someone passively sending typed words at you, the priority should be clear. Myself, the only reason I use my phone in-conversation is if it rings for a call or if I need to use its notepad for something. Otherwise, it stays out of sight for the sake of the priorities I mentioned before, and I think that's how it should be.

It is strange, though, to see how something that was invented to facilitate and expand communication is now largely being used for the opposite purpose.