Don`t let phones snatch away your emotions

 

First Published on 20 Dec, 2021 in the Muslim Times; Other Link: Daily Observer


In today's world, the Phone has become an essential part of our daily lives. It has brought the whole world under the tap of our fingers. By using mobile phones and the Internet, we can access thousands of anonymous information, learn new things, and get the opportunity to know a lot of strangers. Undoubtedly, mobile phones have made our daily life easier and more comfortable. However, over-reliance on mobile phones and technology has brought us into new realities. Mobile phones are involved in everything from waking up in the morning, forcing us to use these devices frequently and excessively. Excessive dependency on mobile has thrown us into an obsession with these digital devices. This creates an unseen bubble around us. When we don't check our mobile or browse the Internet, it seems like we were untouched by the whole world for a long time or missed something very urgent.

People are now spending more time making friends on social media rather than communicating face to face. This attitude is hindering our real-time interactions. This mobile addiction often takes the form of 'NOMOPHOBIA.' It refers to the fear of being without access to a functional cell phone or an app. Although it is not a recognized disease, many people around the world are sufferers of this problem. NOMOPHOBIA is a syndrome of problematic digital media use in mental health. According to a recent survey, 53% of the U.K and 23% of Indian residents suffer from this problem. The biggest victims of mobile addiction are young people. In Italy, nearly 61% of people use mobile devices while going to bed, and among them, 81% are from the age group of 18-34. As in other countries, mobile addiction is slowly grasping our country too.

With the country's socio-economic progress, the number of mobile and internet users in Bangladesh is drastically increasing. Excessive mobile dependency is undermining the prevailing norms of society. For example, once young children used to eat or sleep while listening to rhymes or stories. However, now the smartphone has replaced these rhymes or stories. Kids now have been addicted to playing mobile games from a very young age. As a result, they lose interest in playing outside. This habit hinders their physical and mental growth. Teenagers and young people spend more time on the internet scrolling Facebook or youtube than paying attention in their classes or careers.

Mobile addiction has engulfed society from all sides. After returning home from work at the end of a busy day, people get busy with mobile phones instead of spending time with their spouses or family. Quality time spent with family and friends is slowly declining. Excessive mobile dependency is weakening our family ties. Our thoughtful mind is becoming paralyzed through excessive usage of Mobile phones. We prefer to give a long 'Facebook status' and count down how many reactions or comments are there, rather than sharing our feelings with our nearest. People nowadays don't even care about what's going on or the crucial situations their close ones face. They create their world in Moblie phones and roam freely in that fake world.

Excessive use of Mobile Phones has also raised the new problem of Cyberbullying. This problem has become a matter of serious concern since our young generation is very adept at dealing with modern technology, and most of them are using it negatively. It also portrays that technology has expanded the path of harassing or bullying someone. Nowadays, people can share any news within a second and most people do it without thinking about the moral relevance of the information. On 13 October 2021, a photo was spread out through social media as fast as wildfire; a copy of the Quran was laid down at the feet of an Idol inside a Durga puja pandal in the Comilla district. The photo became viral within a very short time. Without further confirmation or cross-checking by any trustworthy source, the Muslim community started attacking temples in various parts of the country only by seeing the picture on social media. On 14 October 2021, Bangladesh police identified the person who uploaded the photo on social media. It was later learned that a group of people had deliberately manipulated the whole incident to create unrest in the country. Something terrible can happen if someone blindly believes everything on the internet. This incident verifies the authenticity of this statement. Opportunity seekers can use social media or the internet to carry out their evil intentions. For this, we need to distinguish what we should and should not do while browsing the Internet. Again, we also use our mobile devices often for entertainment purposes, it should be kept in mind that it is no longer personal when we share anything on social platforms through mobile phones.

Adroitly avoiding the problem should not be a solution. We should keep in mind that we use all electronic devices to make our lives easier, not increase the distance with our dearest ones. We are supposed to see the whole world with these two eyes, let not the fake world of imagination created by using a mobile phone control us. Let's get lost in the vastness of the sky before our eyes don't get stuck between a few inches of the mobile phone, and all relationships are hindered through the Phone as well. We should rather ensure that the use of Mobile phones should not go beyond the limits.

This article was co-authored by Shahida Aroby, A Graduate Student of North South University