It was our lunch time topic at work today.
My answer is NO, unless I have to. Because, I carry my mobile everywhere I go, I check my emails on it, Facebook and twitter on it as well as put my calendar on it including my things to do. I would be lost without it. I don’t remember the phone numbers of my friends and family by heart so if I ever have to call anyone when I don’t have my mobile with me, it would be a nightmare.
I know it is really bad to rely so heavily on the phone but it has made my life so easy that I can’t imagine living without it. I have sometimes forgotten the phone at home by mistake and I felt like a part of me was missing the whole day until I was reunited with my beloved phone. I am sorry if you find it crazy but I am just being honest about how I feel about my phone.
I am sure I am not alone in this situation. Every time I go to any restaurant or public place, I see people on the street walking while talking on the phone or messaging on the phone. What about the drivers talking while driving? I am totally against that so I keep my phone in my bag while I drive so I am not tempted to answer the phone if it rings.
Also in restaurants if you see a group of friends dinning together, at least half of them will be playing with their phone. It might be considered anti social but it has become a habit for many people.
Nowadays our life has become so dependent on the internet and having internet in our mobile phone has made our mobile phone even more valuable. We can book tickets, pay bills, chat with friends on Facebook or bank online using our phones. It can be used as a camera, an audio and video recorder, for multi-media messaging, email client, web client, gaming platform, document viewer and editor, music player, TV, wallet, calculator, bar code reader and the list goes on.
I still remember the days when I was in Nepal, if I had to meet anyone we either pre planned when we would meet or talk on our landlines from our homes to fix the time. Life used to be simpler for sure as you just make a plan and follow it. With the introduction of mobile phones, things have changed a lot. Instead of making plans ahead, we just call on the go to see if people are around to catch up.
I sometimes believe that the mobile phone has become a necessity instead of a convenience because I am sure having a mobile phone has saved many lives. Imagine if you have an accident in the middle of nowhere and you can’t contact anyone. When accidents happen, the mobile phone has made it possible to contact the necessary people ASAP rather than trying to find a public pay phone.
So, yes I might be able to live without a mobile phone for a day but I can’t live without it for life. I would never voluntarily choose to live a day without a mobile phone.
What about you?
nepaliaustralian 
I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for liking so many of my posts 🙂 Also, I couldn’t live without my mobile phone either. It’s practically attached to my hand! It is a bit of a necessity for me as I don’t feel safe without it, but you’ve just got to make sure you’re interacting with people who are with you instead of having your head stuck in your phone!
I do feel the same. I don’t ignore the people when I am with them but mobile phone feels like part of me now 🙂
I certainly can. I am very forgetful so there are times when I go to work without it and I seem to be fine. Live one day without an internet? Tolerable? One week? That’s like ‘cyber-seppuku’. I got that term from Nelle’s recent story. Not sure if I used it correctly in the right context. 😀
I agree with you than internet is more important. My phone doubles as my computer on the go so that might be one of the reasons why I am so addictive. 🙂
I can answer yes! I can live without my phone and I know this because I always forget to plug it in and recharge its batteries 😉
🙂 : ) 🙂 I do need to learn to be less superficial.
LOL! I think if it works for you it works! Sometimes I forget my phone so I won`t be found 😉
I can. And I already have tried living without a mobile phone for at least more than a year (way back in 2004). My friends thought it was crazy to give up using mobile phones, they had to call me on my landline at home to make appointments or chat/email me. I just made sure I come on time whenever I have to meet them or if things happened, I will find a public pay phone and ring them from there. I started using mobile phone again after I joined a company that requires me to go to work early in the morning (5am) and my father insisted that I used it because of that. Now, even though I have one, I don’t check it often. Most of the time, when I am at home, I forget where I place it or I just don’t bother. LOL. Aside from text and calls, It’s useful as my alarm clock. 🙂
That is good that you could limit your phone just for text , call and alarm clock. For me it is my notebook for reminder sand to do list, computer for blog, facebook and twitter and camera as well. It will be really hard for me to go without it.
I do agree with your father to have phone just in case you need it.
I think it depends on the phone. I didn’t care too much about my blackberry, except for maybe bbm–which allowed you to chat with people without being charged anything. But it wasn’t really something I was attached to. I have a landline at work and a landline at home so the only time I’d need a phone was when I was in the car.
I am loving my new iphone–the thing is like a constant entertaining machine. But I can see it becoming very distracting, especially when you’re with a group of people.
I can tell you now that you won’t be able to leave your iphone anymore. I used to have blackberry too before my Samsung Galaxy 2 and I was not as addictive. But with my new phone I do everything on it so I really find it hard to leave it behind. Have fun with your new phone .:)
I love having a phone, but it’s nice to be away from it sometimes. A good way to do it is to get out of the area you live in, go hiking, or go to the beach or something and leave it at home. It’s difficult but can be so relaxing 🙂
I think I comfortable to leave phone at home if my husband is with me but the days when he is not, I really can’t leave it as my mind will not be in peace. I know I am bit crazy 🙂
I’ve been without since June 2009, and believe me, I miss having a mobile. So many benefits, sigh.
You are telling me that you don’t have a mobile phone for last 3 years. Seriously how are you managing your life, will love to know more details nelle.
The mobile phone sure is important in all our lives. I don’t think you’re crazy, we all are so used to them now it sure would be difficult going a day without the phone!
That is so funny that until 10 years ago, it didn’t even exist in out lives and now we can’t live without it. Thank you for making me feel that I am normal Gabby.