My Cell Phone Turned Me Into A Robot
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

My Cell Phone Turned Me Into A Robot

All hail the new overlord Samsung Galaxy S8.

183
My Cell Phone Turned Me Into A Robot
https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2018/02/28/636554214946525298-492784560_IMG_0165.jpg

Sometimes I wonder if I am a robot, and it's not because of my awesome dance moves.

A lot of it has to do with the use of my cell phone, the compulsive drive to remove it from my pocket, the jolt and the automatic move that accompanies the ding of a fresh email or text, the machine like, unthinking nature with which I check my phone at the urinal. I saw this meme on reddit and felt it deep in my soul.

I like to think I am fine without my phone, that I don't need it, that I won't be worried if its not nearby. I like to think that I don't actually use it that much either, like it doesn't control my life.

I recently downloaded QualityTime, an app that lets you discover your smartphone habits. I have been using it for four weeks, and, over that time my total phone usage was 42 hours and 3,671 screen unlocks.

My first instinct was, "that's not that bad," but 40 hours is a whole work week! If I spent that time dedicated to actually learning to do something, I could knit sweaters for my girlfriend's kitties within three months.

The more insidious part was the screen unlocks. 3,671 averages out to 131 times a day over 28 days, or (based on being awake for 15 hours of the day), ONCE EVERY NINE MINUTES.

Imagine replacing the act of checking your phone with something else, like tying a shoe. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW OBNOXIOUS IT WOULD BE TYING YOUR SHOES EVERY 9 MINUTES, 131 TIMES A DAY?!?!?!

Most of the time I check my phone, it is involuntary, almost a panicky reflex, one that says, "oh my god, what did I miss in the last nine minutes?!" There isn't much conscious thought involved.

A robot, according to Wikipedia, is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer— capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.

The unthinking cell phone grab and passcode sign in, the ritual notification check every morning when I wake up and every evening before I go to bed, the habitual pocket feel before leaving the house to make sure I have it, the reflexive whip-out-and-screen-stare in awkward social situations. All these actions provide ample evidence of Warren-as-robot.

Am I, like a robot, programmable by my phone because of how it sucks me in and dictates what I do? Movies like The Terminator and The Matrix envision worlds where complicated autonomous technologies have taken over, but maybe, unlike these movies, we won't need to hit that before machines rule our world. Maybe they already do.

The saying goes, "if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." If Warren dances like a robot, acts like a robot, and is programmable like a robot, then he is probably a robot. I have accepted my place in the new world order. All hail the new overlord Samsung Galaxy S8.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

73849
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

46627
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

977318
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments