cell phones and video games leading to degradation of society

I am fortunate to be of the generation that had a childhood without cell phones and without the extended need for video games. My childhood was happy; I found great, fun ways to entertain myself. We invented games, played outside, rode our bikes or hippity hops, etc. Sometimes we did play with Atari or Nintendo, but we only had a few games but it wasn’t excessive, other things caught our interest, especially on a sunny day. Growing into my preteen/teenage years we called our friends house phones and if we were lucky, we got our own phone line (I didn’t) and it was great that our cord was so long so we can sit outside and talk or on the stairs…and when cordless phones came around, that was even better! Still in this time – I had a great happy adolescence, when I saw and talked to my friends we were consumed in the moment, less distractions and more of what it was all about, friendship.

Fast forward to 19 years old, when I got my first cell phone, I hardly used it, for emergency use only because I commuted into the city. Even when cell phones were becoming more popular, I didn’t see the need to upgrade; my simple phone served its purpose. Now, three phones later I text and take occasional pictures on my cell phone…it is my primary phone, I no longer have a house phone. It still serves its purpose and I am a fan, however I think the people have become ruder during this time and I blame the cell phone companies and video game companies. I can no longer enjoy my commute into the city on the train, there is always more than one person chatting away on their phone. The streets are filled with people not paying attention to where they are walking because they are texting, and don’t get me started on drivers and customers in restaurants and banks.

The attention span of children and adults is dwindling and it is sad. I vote to turn back the hands of time to a less complicated and user friendly era where courtesy and politeness are not a thing of the past.