Summary Of Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone '

There is no doubt that in the era of globalization, smartphones have become one of the most popular technology devices of our lives and have changed the way we communicate. However, after watching a YouTube video called “I Forgot My Phone”, Nick Bilton, an editor for the New York Times, states that “life is just better led when it is lived rather than viewed [on smartphones].” I agree with Bilton that when we put away our phones and try to live in the present for a while, we will feel more connected to the world. Moreover, spending more time on phones will not improve our relationships with others, but make people socially isolated.
In the article “Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone,” Bilton provides some scenarios in the video about
DeGuzman thinks that perhaps “the new norm” of participation in life is just about looking at one’s phone. Yet, this new way of life is just depressing. The precious moments are slipping through our fingers when people are too busy staring at a four-inch screen “during lunch, at a concert, while bowling [or] at a birthday.” We should stop checking our phones every minute, every ten minutes, or even every hour. In 2013, I experienced the most unforgettable New Year's Eve countdown party in Taipei because like the star of the clip my phone had been left at home. At first, I felt panic; the anxiety about missing important phone calls was niggling at me. However, after several minutes of worry, I started feeling relieved and happy since I was literally experiencing every single moment. I used my ears, which were usually plugged with earphones, to listen to the sound of excited screams; I used my hand, which usually held an emotionless and cold four-inch device, to hold my girlfriend’s hand; and I used my eyes, which were usually staring at the screen, to watch and enjoy the fireworks show after the countdown. I did not miss any part of the party. As the fireworks finished, I looked around and saw thousands of glowing screens. Everyone was either posting or responding to the photos or videos of
The impact of our smartphone obsession is making us lonely and alienating us from friends, family, and partners. In the beginning of the video “I Forgot My Phone”, there is a couple in bed “while [the man] pays no mind and checks his smartphone.” At the end of the video, as the couple gets back in bed, the man is still browsing the web on his phone. The woman, who is being ignored, inspires our pity, but the man is pathetic because he is “talking” to a lifeless device rather than having a conversation with the real person lying right beside him. If the man keeps doing this, the woman will not only leave “he and his phone” alone, but will also break up with the man since the more time you spends on your phone, the “easier” you will become alienated from others. Serena, one of my friends, had a similar experience of being isolated. She had more than a thousand friends and a hundred thousand followers on her Facebook, and needed to spend six hours a day on her phone to response to the comments on Facebook. Serena was using her phone during work, on the subway, and even in bed until she fell asleep since this was the only way to maintain the relationships with her Facebook friends and followers on the Internet. In the virtual world, she was a celebrity of sorts; however, no one would invite her to any activity because they thought she either already had too