My Life Without a Cellphone
I live a life without a cellphone. It has been almost 2 years since I used one. I should clarify – I HAVE a cellphone – a Blackberry pearl that is ancient – but it is a bonafide alarm clock. So why do I travel without a cellphone? What made me give it up? And why do I know my future will be without one too?
I like to live my life. I pay attention to the things that happen around me. I like to hear the wind, feel the wind, and smell what comes wafting my way. I like to see all the colours around me, watch the people sauntering by as I sit my fruit smoothie on the road side. It is all the little details of life that I like. Cellphones make you miss these little details.
I can understand the advantages of cellphones. But I can not pass over the negative effects of cellphones. Cellphones disconnect us from the world, from each other. It takes us into a digital world that we engulf ourselves in and rarely try to escape from. People spend their days with their heads bent, noses pressed to their cellphone screens, walking from point A to point B without ever seeing all the details in between.
I talk a lot, I like to be social, and engage with those around me. When I’m out for dinner, I want the people I am out with to actually be there – not be texting or checking their social media. And yet, taking out a cellphone during a meal or social call is now common place – it is accepted. But it is not to me. I want to engage with those around me – not feel like I come second to their digital lives. So I always ask others to put their phones away until after the dinner. There is NOTHING that urgent that cannot wait until after the dinner – and if it IS an emergency you will receive the elusive phone call.
I gave up my cellphone so that I would never waste the time I have with people face-to-face to be in the digital world. I spend a significant amount of time on my laptop already, I don’t need to spend the time I have away from it, not truly being away from it. I will never give up the internet – but not owning a cellphone is different. Not owning a cellphone allows me to pay attention to my life around me every second. I never miss what is happening NOW to live in the digital past. Social Media connections will never replace actual connections. So I choose to live now.
Not everybody can agree. Actually, MOST people wouldn’t agree. They would never give up their cellphone because of all the advantages. Yes there are applications that make your life easier, and it is a tool to keep you entertained on long journeys, and it is a form of security in emergency situations. But no matter the advantages, to me, they don’t outweigh the distractions it brings to my life overall. The constant disconnection from everything around me leaves me feeling bored and alone. I’d rather spend my time writing in a journal, reading a book for information, talking to the person next to me on the bus, and keeping my cellphone for absolute emergencies which, hopefully, I will never need.
So this is why I live without a cellphone. I want to connect to people – in real life.
Could you Live without a Cellphone?
I'm Chrystal McKay, a 23 year old Canadian girl who travels the world seeking knowledge. I am a World Citizen, Globe Trotter, and Continuous Learner. A Lover of Ancient Ruins, Castles, Churches, and all things Old and Beautiful. Follow me as I learn my way around the world.
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You are a much braver woman than me! Though I did enjoy being cell phone free for a week on a cruise, I’m not sure I would want to do it much longer than that. I’m addicted
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I was worried for the first two weeks. I had withdrawal symptoms. I would think I lost my cellphone constantly when it wasn’t in my hand. But it subsides and then I realized how great life is without my extra appendage (and the extra cost!)
I wish I could, but my patients need to be able to contact me at all times. I’m sure it would be SO liberating to get rid of it though!!!!
It is a hard thing to balance work with travel! Yours is a necessity – for me the cellphone is just extra.
I loved that I didn’t have a phone my first year of traveling but now that I am home the addiction quickly returned – viva iPhone!
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I think living in a place you will eventually need a phone – cellphones make living easier. Although I never had one when I lived in Argentina. But travelling allows you to escape from it.
ooo I don’t know if I could do that! You’re brave. I just feel like I don’t have a hand when I don’t have my mobile with me.
I am also slightly addicted to checking my emails and twitter.
On the other hand, I hate when people check their phones during drinks or dinner and try to divide their attention between the others and the stuff they’re reading.
I’m going to Burma in January and it will be first time since I was very, very young when I won’t have access to mobile or internet.. it will be interesting!
I actually totally agree with you on this one. I have a mobile but I only have it so I have somewhere for friends to contact me at. I don’t buy credit until the phone company tells me they will cancel my number (which only happens every six months, and I use it mostly to wake me up in the morning. There definately distracting, I have friends who spend hours buried in them checking facebook even on nights out, its insane, I definately do not want to be that person!
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