Nomophobia

[Lowlander]

To begin with, I had no idea where this topic would 'fit', but I just want to share this with you guys.


So I finished exams recently, did HAVO exams after finishing VMBO (Basically I did two secondary school courses, HAVO is higher than the first one I did)

So, for one exam, I had to make a lecture about "Nomophobia", which literally means the fear of having [No] [Mo]bile [Pho]ne. I had to give my own opinion about this so called 'phobia', and I believe it's a real deal. I saw it in my class, for example. My classmates and I were in a classroom, teacher was gone, everyone was on their Whatsapp and what not, except for me, since I haven't got much to talk about, and don't have many people to chat with. It gets me frustrated for some reason to see that people can't be without their (mobile) devices anymore.

Another example: I went on a vacation with my family, to France. We met a lot of people, much youth, too. There was a wifi hotspot on the camping, and seriously, even when people were staying for just one week, they already went "Ooh my god, I'd go mad if there wouldn't be wifi on this camping!" already. Is it just me or are vacations not really meant to be spent near the wifi hotspot talking to people in your own country, but to socialize with others (even though that's hypocritical since I'm not a real social guy myself)?

Personally I find it relaxing having no worries, no social obligations or anything..

Opinions, comments, thoughts? I'd like to see other peoples thoughts about this.

 

[9006]

Did anybody else think this was spam??

I think people can develop any phobia within reason, in this technological age I think the psychology behind it would be something along the lines of having no mobile would make them feel cut-off, lonely and vulnerable from civilization. Especially if they have friends or family they're close to.

 

[Locke]

I thought it sounded kind of ridiculous beore I read 9006's post. But it does make sense; people build up social connections through phones, and if you take that away they probably feel very isolated.

I don't have a mobile phone, but if I lost the internet I would go through serious withdrawals for some of the same reasons.

 

[TropicalStarfish]

I rarely leave the house with my phone, but since I don't own a landline, I do have a not-so-fancy mobile that sits at my desk. I miss most of all the incoming calls.

I don't think I've ever used wifi outside of a residential setting.

 

[Sarah_Lbnz]

Congrats on finishing your exams.

I am afraid of losing my phone: not to an excessive degree, but much more than I would a home phone. The cell phone is much more fragile: smaller, higher value - more easily stolen, forgotten on a table, etc. I think of the hassle of buying another phone, but then there's that "emotional connection" that I think many of us have forged with our technological devices. It's become an extension of my body, and I am feel rewarded when I see a text message pop up, like "yay, congratulations, I like you". While I certainly have a connection to the person who sent it, it also extends to the medium by which it arrived. It also keeps me company when I'm in public and don't feel like looking around helplessly. So I'm not just losing a phone, I'm losing something that I have some sort of physiological/emotional connection to.

Thanks for this topic, reminds me that I should brush up on my Marshall McLuhan.

/and I totally thought "Nomophobia" referred to fear of "nomnomnom".

 

[Sci-Fi]

and I totally thought "Nomophobia" referred to fear of "nomnomnom".

Me too

It's funny how much we have become dependent on our mobile devices, cells, wifi, whatever. I don't use my cell much, it stays at my apartment when I'm at work.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I treat smartphones like I do computers. They are great for social interaction, when you're not with friends, but when you're with friends you should turn off the phone and engage in a conversation.

Maybe it's because I am older, and can remember when the internet first came out, and smartphones have only been around for 5 years. I do believe in engaging in technology, I'm a big tech geek, but there is no substitute for actual conversation.

 

[Solivagant]

I treat smartphones like I do computers. They are great for social interaction, when you're not with friends, but when you're with friends you should turn off the phone and engage in a conversation.

Maybe it's because I am older, and can remember when the internet first came out, and smartphones have only been around for 5 years. I do believe in engaging in technology, I'm a big tech geek, but there is no substitute for actual conversation.

^ Agreed.

I thought "Nomophobia" was going to be the fear of names, lol.

I don't have a cell phone anymore, and it doesn't bother me. No one to talk to anyway. The only reason I'd want one right now is for emergencies.

 

[Sigma]

I don't think anyone can dispute this is a real thing.
I also don't have much interest in using social media or much people to do so with, but it's seeped itself so deep into society by now you see every news program ending with "follow us on twitter and like us on facebook"
When I go into town (which is rare) I see groups of "friends" in popular hanging spots and none of them actually talk to eachother, they just sit together in a little pack all staring at the screens of their phones like some sort of zombies.