Smart Phones and Society

First post!
This poured out of my psyche while writing a timed essay. No offense is intended and the opinions expressed should be considered only as my thoughts at the time I put them in writing.

                                                                                       Smart Phones And Society

The rapid advances in technology over recent decades have given mankind abilities and access to knowledge to an unprecedented degree. Today’s world would seem to be filled with magic by our not too distant ancestors. Innovations have allowed for the average person to carry not only the means to communicate verbally but also in text with anyone else who owns a cell-phone. This same technology has advanced to the point where you have access to almost all the knowledge mankind has accumulated via the internet, as well as many forms of distraction. This device, the Smart Phone, offers many things, but not without its pitfalls.
At first, mobile phones were innocent. A convenient way to stay in contact with those you associate with while on the move, unbound by a hardline telephone. As technology progressed and applications were developed, many people were seduced by the digital infrastructure. When you add constant and, quite often, unnecessary communication to the equation you have a situation in which society is coerced into cultural change. 
There are Medical experts spanning across many fields who have suggested that unmoderated use of cell phones has created a schism in the cultural framework of society. People have become addicted to the power of Smart Phones to the extent that they feel lost without one. There are many potential problems that have arisen. Now that we have seen a few generations grow up with these devices it has become clear that they have an addictive quality. Constantly texting back and forth, checking social media, e-mail, selfies, even “phantom phone” syndrome have allowed for an environment where a person’s life can be lived almost entirely digitally. I believe this has caused antisocial behavior, isolationism, narcissism and detachment from the physical world. Younger generations have shown a decline in the ability to communicate in person, and in my opinion, have lost aspects of their personality that would have been nurtured by more human interaction. In extreme cases, where the individual has become immersed in their cyber life, it would appear that they have taken on a sociopathic view of the world.
Smart phones are most certainly a blessing and a curse. I think it would be beneficial to encourage more social interaction at the academic level. Perhaps educating our youth, starting as early as kindergarten, on how to use a Smart Phone for what they need as opposed to submitting to a constant distraction from the world around them would help to solve this problem. The impact of detachment from people and intimate relationships could have a profoundly negative effect on society. The Human Race is a social one that relies on relationships and interaction. It’s how we survive difficult times, generate new ideas, shape the world around us, and ultimately, find happiness. The old saying “It takes a village” will be as relevant as ever when people find themselves isolated and unable to navigate the world on their own.