Nowadays, it seems as if everyone is “living through their phones.” Essentially, we view everything through the perspective we see from camera lenses and through social media platforms, amongst a few other outlets. We can no longer push people into pools without the fear of damaging someone’s oh-so-beloved cell phone; devices that are nearly always glued to peoples hands. I believe that, when used in moderation, cell phones are a blessing and that such technological advancements can help all members of society live improved lives. When used in excess, cellular devices destroy relationships, create ineffective communicators, and lead people into failure to embrace the “now” of spectacular moments.

It always amazes me how my grandmother, Shari Chamitoff, has made so many friends. I’d reckon to say that she has friends in the majority of cities, including many places abroad from the United States. When she does use her phone, it is solely to get in touch with family and friends, or to make future plans with them. I believe that, because she is not constantly super-glued to her phone, she develops closer relationships with people and in turn builds strong bonds with friends.

It’s interesting how the majority of our millennial generation struggles to foster close relationships with others. I think it is a fair statement to say that the majority of millennials have more “acquaintances” than actual “friends.” Even depression rates have skyrocketed in comparison to the rates of past generations; this is likely, because we all compare ourselves to social media figures, rather than actually doing something to improve and feel better about ourselves. What is to blame? Our phones! Giving a greater degree of attention to technology, rather than actual people, serves as the heart of the problem. Perhaps if we spent more time with our phones on “sleep” mode, we wouldn’t struggle to have meaningful relationships with people, we wouldn’t destroy our chances at achieving close friendships, and we wouldn’t hold such high rates of depression.

Secondly, I feel that cell phones, used for social media in particular, has led a large portion of our society into becoming ineffective communicators. What I mean by this, is that some people have become inept in regards to holding a face-to-face interactions. For example, in todays society, it would not be viewed as abnormal for two teenagers to handle a conflict by insulting each other back-and-forth on social media, rather than trying to find a resolution together, in person. People no longer know how to confront one another without the security of a phone screen “protecting” them.

How is one expected to build strong relationships, let alone connections (which can aid their future successes) if they can not even sit down and effectively communicate with someone? They can not. Why, may you ask? Because the entire professional and social world is not based nor run off of our cell phones and social media. You won’t get a well-paying job by liking a business’ post on Instagram, nor can you grow your own business if you are unable to effectively handle a sit-down discussion regarding the logistics of your company.

If a person wants to connect with those who can mentor and help them, they need to do so in person, because no degree of social media use could ever earn them the respect that a face-to-face conversation could. The majority of our millennial generation has learned to excel at communication through cellular devices and other technological outlets. As a result, we are becoming inept in actual human interactions. If we do not put our phones down and learn what it means to communicate, without technology, we are not going to progress as individuals, let alone together as one societal unit. Instead, phones will continue to raise degenerates, who are incapable of doing anything besides “liking” each other on social media platforms.

In my recent family-trip to the San Diego Safari Park, I noticed that many individuals kept crowded around various animal enclosures. Within those large group of people, the elderly were scarcely on their phones, where as individuals from the millennial age-demographic (along with their parents) were all glued to them. When looking around, the elderly individuals seemed to be far more “present” in the breathtaking experience. This was important, because they were creating memories, not just formulating temporary posts about their experiences. It is awesome to have pictures of experiences such as this, but it is far cooler to be eighty years old and actually recall them. When we grow in age, we are not going to remember what we posted on social media; we are going to remember the event itself and the people who accompanied us. Most elderly people do take in the “now,” and as a result, they have amazing stories to tell.

Living a life through one’s phone is no way to live. If we do not take action by being mentally present in spectacular moments, we will leave no legacies or stories to pass on to future generations. Technology and phones can destroy relationships, create ineffective communicators, lead people into failing to embrace the “now” of spectacular moments, and they can lead to lost social and professional opportunities if they are not used in moderation. We need to put our phones down and take in the “now.” Not one Instagram picture, Twitter tweet, or Facebook posting will outlive priceless memories with the people we love.