#Impact of Smartphones on Socialisation

 

#Impact of Smartphones on Socialisation

Senior Citizens today have memories of standing in queues to book train tickets, pay various utility bills, purchasing movie tickets, and for many other purposes. Those were the things of the past. Now, one can book train, airline, and even bus tickets through various apps on a smartphone. One can use a smartphone to pay multiple utility bills and for many other purposes. Today, one rarely visits a bank to withdraw or deposit money, since most transactions are conducted online.  One does not need to visit shops or departmental stores to purchase daily needs, as there are apps that allow online orders with home delivery.  

2. Uses of Smartphones: Before the invention of smartphones, a simple mobile phone was used for calling other people. Thereafter, some features were added, i.e., Short Message Service (SMS) and some games. But after the invention of smartphones, many apps were developed that enabled us to use this gadget not only for calling others but also for making payments and booking online tickets for trains, buses, and airlines. There are apps for booking hotels, stock trading, paying utility bills, booking gas cylinders, etc. Smartphones are used as cameras to take photographs and videos. Smartphones have multipurpose uses, giving people much comfort when availing services from home with a click of a button, without spending much time. Thus, smartphones save people energy and valuable time.

3. How smartphones affected our social life:  Though smartphones save our energy and valuable time, they have impacted our family and social life. It has obviated the need to go outside to obtain certain services, such as buying vegetables, groceries, and other daily necessities. Online and mobile banking reduced footfall at the bank’s premises. Similarly, online booking of train tickets through mobile apps reduced footfall at reservation counters, resulting in fewer ticket counters. This has reduced human interaction, resulting in fewer acquaintances. No doubt, various mobile apps have helped busy working people optimise their valuable time.  On the other hand, retired senior citizens are struggling to pass the time. They are also struggling to socialise themselves. Moving out to purchase daily needs or to avail banking and other services helped them interact with others, thereby widening their circle of known people.  Using mobile apps to access various services from home reduced one’s circle of known people. We all know the days before smartphones, when one used to visit friends' houses for socialisation. Landlines and simple mobile phones reduced the need to see friends’ houses, as one used to talk to friends over the telephone. But the invention of smartphones has even reduced the need to call friends. Instead, they started sending and receiving messages through WhatsApp. I don’t know when I last called my best friend because we use WhatsApp messages, and that's limited to sending Good Morning and Good Night messages. I am not surprised to see people engaged with their smartphones even in a social gathering. Even in a family get-together, all the family members, instead of talking with each other, are busy on their smartphones.

4. Smartphones enabled us to connect with people on various social media platforms. One may have thousands of friends on a social media platform, but have interactions with only a few that can be counted on the fingers of one hand.  Smartphones, though, have negatively impacted our family and social life, but with clever use, one can use them as a tool to increase social and friend circle. Make it a point to call at least five people from your friend list on a social media platform every day. Have a get-together with at least five people every weekend. In this way, one can expand their circle of friends and spend quality time with both old and new friends by using social media platforms.

5. Conclusion: Though the use of smartphones adversely affected our family and social life, with clever use, one can use a smartphone as a tool for increasing one's social circle.