Member-only story
Connected Through Physical and Digital Touch
Smartphones are considered a constant distraction from our day-to-day lives. The constant “ping” of a new notification or the lighting up of a phone screen has the ability to stop us in our tracks to respond to a message, check our amount of likes, or play your daily challenge on your favourite game (mine is “Subway Surf”).
There is the possibility of putting your phone on silent or turning off your notifications. But what if someone important calls or texts? What if someone needs me urgently. What if I miss something important on Twitter or Instagram? What if I miss out?
But this is only one way of looking at the smartphone. And it is definitely not inaccurate; I have wasted too many hours of my day on social media, games, or other mindless scrolling. But there is more to a smartphone than mindless scrolling and beating high-scores.
Smartphones are meant to keep us connected.
Amidst all of my mindless scrolling, I see posts that actually interest me and make me happy. A picture of family, a tweet from a friend, a story on their daily life. Apps like Instagram have allowed me glimpses into the daily lifes of my friends, both those near and far. I see a big positive in humans constantly being on their smartphones. Or rather, I cherish my friends and family’s…
