Are Cell Phones a Boon or a Bane: Argumentative Essay

Are Cell Phones a Boon or a Bane: Argumentative Essay

Cell phones have turned into a necessity of life, an extension of our arm. Some of us can’t even live without it. One of the greatest inventions of mankind always has its negatives and can end up causing pain and destruction, but that all depends on why and how it is used. There are many benefits to having a cell phone. There are many important uses for it that we use on a daily. Its usefulness overpowers its abuse. It is a benefit in our lives. From communication to getting emergency help, cell phones can enhance living. Cell phones have the availability of music, a calculator, a camera, a recorder, GPS, etc. all in your pocket. It can also be a bad influence, especially on the younger generation, because for many of them, it’s the first thing they look at in the morning. From car accidents to diminishing human interaction, without common sense, it very much so could be a risk. So, are cell phones a boon or a bane?

The number one reason cell phones are a benefit in people’s lives is for the reason they were even invented in the first place. For communication. They help keep in touch with co-workers, friends, and family. Even the ones far away. “The greatest invention are those which affect the mass of people” (Federacioongpau, n.d., p.1). Cell phones just might’ve been one of the greatest creations in the world to be able to call anywhere in the world. “Keeping in touch with one another is as simple as pushing a button. Even when you can’t talk, cell phones make communication easy with the use of text messaging” (McGriff, 2018, p.1). It’s also good to keep a tab on children and check up on them to make sure everything is alright. Back in the day phones used to need to be wired into the wall, but now everything is wireless, and is easy to make calls on the go. From experience, my family is always calling Haiti every day, so long-distance calling makes it such a convenience to contact people from foreign countries. Connecting to people all over the world has become easier and easier to do as technology advances. Not only with calling and texting but also with connecting with the world.

The second reason cell phones are a benefit in people’s lives is because they are available online for convenient information. Whether you’re doing a research paper or just want to know some trivia, the Internet has information on nearly everything in the world from past, present, and future. These small devices are capable of connecting to the Internet, which allows the user to connect to people around the world. Cell phones can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or through 3G or 4G data plans that use cellular signals to access the Internet. Using cell phone data virtually gives you access to the Internet anywhere: in cars, restaurants, gas stations, and many more. It beats the idea of lugging around a heavy laptop all the time. It has become our mini-laptop. Social media is a huge platform people (especially the young generation) connect to. Cell phones can connect to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Google+, dating websites, newspaper articles, and many more. These devices are also capable of watching movies on the Internet on applications such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. So, when there isn’t a TV within reach, you have a TV right in the palm of your hand.

The third reason why cell phones are a benefit in people’s lives is because they can be used for emergency purposes. It can reach emergency services (911) in a matter of seconds when in danger. Everyone has experienced or witnessed an urgent emergency, and since technology is so advanced, cell phones make it so easy to get help quickly. A couple of years back, school forbade the use of cell phones in school. They preferred cell phones to be off and locked in students’ lockers. But with all the catastrophes happening in school, such as school shootings, bombings, and fires, it would be helpful to have that little device in that time of danger. “Laws forbidding the use of cell phones in schools have lifted in many states after lawmakers realized the need for immediate emergency contact between children and their parents” (McGriff, 2018, p.2). Students having their phones on them also makes parents feel a little more confident knowing that their children can call home when in need. It is also a benefit for seniors who live alone in their homes because they feel safer knowing that a close friend or family member is always within reach at any moment or location just in case of an emergency. Say something were to happen and the person were to fall and hit their head, but before they got unconscious, they called 911, but in the middle of the call they knocked out. Gladly, cell phones have a GPS/tracking system in them, so the police and ambulance can track where they are and get them to a hospital. “In case of an accident, c