iDDicted and phone jonesing

iDDicted and phone jonesing

Starring vacantly at the television, news of another Facebook legal snare in the UK briefly catches my attention. I stroke the cool, steel edge of her sleek, angular figure. I hold her close, almost seductively. Her chic, animated allure has me spel

lbound — I’m hers.

She beckons: “boing”.

Immediately, I attend to her, losing awareness of my surrounds, of time and space. Just another Facebook notification. A group message, or FaceSpam, as I call it.

My name’s Damien … and I’m addicted to my phone.

iPhone owners will know what I’m on about. I don’t mean to be flippant. I am genuinely addicted to my phone. I can’t go an hour without it. Any longer, and I suffer withdrawal.

I think I may have a problem.

It’s okay, I do have a life. But my smartphone is indelibly etched into it. It rocks my world. Calls and texts take back seat to the cornucopia of apps that constantly demand my attention.

I recently tried to spend a day without my moreish device. I failed. An hour or so passed, and I was scrambling to check the numerous alerts that had summoned me since I put it down.

I was beside myself. No Facebook, Twitter, emails, texts or other apps at my immediate disposal. I needed a fix, and I needed it bad. I needed to paw at the screen with my fat fingers, which are more rotund, in part, because my phone encourages a less active lifestyle.

When in transit, I ‘block out the bogan’ with podcasts, Gaydar Radio and Exquisit Beats. I muse over commentary on social networking, busying myself with images of ‘friends’ doing things. I take pics while out, sometimes thinking of witty captions to share.

Older gens are understandably baffled by all of this. When I catch up with Mum, I have to turn it off. If I fiddle with my phone, she glares at it with contempt.

Many of us sit with friends or family and the lights are on, but no one’s home — impolitely lost in the idle utopia of our intrusive, portable little friends.

Technology is supposed to improve our lives. But does it? Toddlers are already playing with iPads. Should we be worried? Just what is happening when technology instead controls us?

I figure at least I’m aware of my sickness. I’m an Apple queen. I’m a proud queen during our awesome Pride Festival. And I’m iDDicted. My phone makes me happy. At least until I get my hands on an iPad.

Is that weird?

info: Follow SSO at @star_observer and Damien @damientweeting

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2 responses to “iDDicted and phone jonesing”

  1. You are not alone it does really make u wonder when we are so obsessed with our phones what will the babies and little kids who are already using them be like by the time they reach their teens ??? It is a bit of a worry
    Enjoyed this, good use of language and witty too !