Cell Phones sounded a tone...

There are many problems with cell phones in this society, and let me talk about some that are on my mind. We've got this problem of isolation in post-modern, capitalist society. We don't talk to eachother. This is a problem everywhere, but especially in present-day Boston. You're on the subway and it's clear how uncomfortable it is, the train could be full, and no one talking to eachother, unless, that is, if you have a friend there and then yours is the only thing people can hear for lack of any other sound. Where this isolation comes from seems clear, but is rarely talked about, because I guess people don't like to think about it. But to me, this isolation comes about in part because today's civilization does away with the need to depend on other people. We only need to buy from corporations, and pay taxes to the government to have all our physical needs met. Besides a lover, maybe a nuclear family and a circle of friends, we don't need many other people. So conversation declines, we have TV to entertain us. And of course TV also keeps us afraid of other people at the same time. (When I say 'us', I talk about white people afraid of most 'other' people).

Alright, so in short summary, there's the root of the problem.

With the result that we don't talk to eachother when we are in the presence of eachother, and what to do about that? Well, we can read a book, the day's Metro edition, turn on IPod and pretend we're not trying to ignore everyone, or we can call everyone we know on our cell phone, and let them know exactly where we are at that moment, when you think you will be somewhere else, presumably in closer proximity to the person on the other end of the phone. And of course, everyone on the train will also be aware of these updates....annoying, yes. But what does this irritating phenomenon-a total ignorance of other people (lack of cell phone etiquette, while quite apparent is not what I'm getting at) have to do with where we are going as a society? Is it just one more thing to do to ignore people, or is it a new depth we've reached?

I asked a former student of mine to think about whether cell phones bring us together or keep us further apart. The next day he told me it keeps us apart, because he said (and I don't remember exactly) we dont' have to be next to eachother to be communicating. 24-7 access to everyone we know, and we don't have to be anywhere near them. While paradoxically in the same space with someone for a prolonged amount of time, and never speak a word to them. Why? If we can just keep to our safety. The safety of isolating technology.