Hooked on for answers

too dependent

The smartphone has surely made life a lot easier for people of all age groups. Just a push of a button will allow you to perform a host a tasks, like planning a special day with your family and friends, booking tickets, locating restaurants and making reservations.

At the same time, one wonders whether technology has made people so dependent on their phones that they are losing individuality? Some youngsters tell Metrolife that they are dependent on technology.

Many students like Nandita Krishna have grown dependent on their phones over time. Nandita says that she uses various applications on a daily basis, especially for utility information like direction apps, which she feels save her from disturbing others to find what she wants. However, she does not use any game application as she feels they will reduce her phone’s performance.

“I recently got a smartphone and am hooked on to the innumerable facilities offered
at the ‘App Store’. With so many things available at my fingertips, I don’t need to spend time asking for information anymore,” she explains.

“I don’t use too many applications. However, the most common ones like ‘WhatsApp’, Google maps and navigation are installed on my phone which I utilise,” says Saagarika Shenoy, a communication student.

Saagarika feels that these applications have helped bridge a lot of gaps, especially in the field of communication. “The good thing about these applications is that they have made it possible to stay in touch with friends abroad. But I don’t believe in using my phone too much because it is making us disregard face-to-face interaction as we are becoming more comfortable with tele-communication,” she adds.   

However, there are a few among the youth who strongly feel technology has taken over man so much that they are losing themselves in the pool of applications.

One is so hooked on to their phones that they’d rather be entertained by a virtual pet or have an application tell them what to do even at social gatherings rather than speak to those around.

“I don’t understand the need to open an app that tells you how to go about your own City when you can turn to the person next to you and ask for help,” wonders Edul Govadia, a media student, who feels it’s about being practical and that technology is killing this aspect of personality.

“Everyone is so driven by their phones that there is a lack of good interpersonal
relations and in some cases, it is so bad that people almost feel orphaned at social situations, without their smartphones telling them what to do,” he adds.

Whether applications are a boon or a bane to society is still uncertain.

But it is clear from these opinions that there is a change in social relations with the birth of smartphones with intelligent applications.