Smartphones

Defilation to technology?
How, Why Smartphones “MAKE” “UNMAKE”
By Asong Junior & Franklin Muabe (UB INTERNS)
The 21st century has proven to be the deity of civilisation. This is due to its numerous discoveries which range from scientific machineries to improvements in communication media, specifically the most recent smartphone which is today most considered to have moved from a luxury to a necessity.
    “Smartphones” as they are popularly called dominate Cameroonian markets with variety of applications (apps), ranging from Tango, Facebook, Messenger, Imo, Viber, Skype, Kik, Instagram, the popular Whatsapp and a host of others people are still garbling to understand their use. 
    Created to help the human race save time, ease communication and economic transactions, the Smartphone among others is pregnant with numerous advantages. These days, Business men and women make bank payments without necessarily going to the bank, women shop using their phones (e-commerce), families chat and do video calls easily, friends keep in touch despite the distance, just to name but these few.
    The Median gathered that, youths are the most consumers of smartphones given the high demand for the product and its multiple uses. In most nations including Cameroon, youths and other users have defiled this modern technology.
    The portability of the smartphone as compared to the laptop has given it reasons to survive the markets given that many phone companies renovate and re-invent constantly. IPhones, Samsung Galaxy, hTC, Sony, Nokia, Huawei are good examples of top phone companies dominating the market. Contemporary youths consider their phones a “demi-god”. This is explained by the fact that they seldom move without these phones indiscriminate of place, time and activity. Smartphones have become an addiction many youths can’t get out of. “Only persistent prayers will save them from this newest bondage”-most men of God have lipped. The consequence-negative of course- is the problematic attitude of most youths with respect to issues of ethics, cultural values and mannerisms.

    This newspaper gathered that, daily activities as regard chores, assignments, projects have been disregarded in many homes either because the children are too busy on whatsapp or the wives are busy uploading pictures on instagram.
    The case is almost the same in numerous public offices of the country where office secretaries have resorted to “Whatsapping” all day at office, a replacement to their former usual activity-playing Zuma. The result has often times been the poor attention given “innocent people” who either come to these bureaus in search of the boss, or to respect appointments.
    Talking to the Median a man complained bitterly about the effects smartphones have on workers. This were his words; “I got into an office and found the secretary lost in a conversation with her friend, head bowed, smiling, reading and texting”. This of course is not the only abuse on the smartphone. Many head-bowed youths do not respect road signs these days in the name of “whatsapping”. They move along the streets texting and smiling with eyes fixed on the phone screens. This regular activity especially along the streets of Molyko, Buea and other cities of the country is a great contributor to the numerous road accidents recorded on major highways today. Zebra-Crossings or not, Traffic lights or not, Smartphones have stolen the show in major streets. You are considered primitive or referred to as a “Laggard” if you can’t afford this kind of phone. Consequently, the “I can’t do without” technology has made things very easy to the poorest citizens. With FCA Francs 30.000 or even less anyone could get join the trend. 
    Some boys who spoke to the Median say their girlfriends pay more attention to their phones during diner dates than the conversation. The result is that, most relationships today though built and kept with the help of smartphones are lately breaking off like eggs carelessly handled.
    The church is the latest place where smartphones are dubbed preferable to other routine things previously used. People use the least time they have in church to reply telephone messages on and off the internet, take pictures of them, the list is long. Most Christians have described their physical Bibles out-dated and boring to carry along to church. They prefer the Bibles in their phones reason why they can’t dare forget their phones at home.
    Worst still schools. Though  phones are prohibited, students stand along the streets to pose for pictures notably “selfies” , take pictures of their dresses, edit their pictures during lectures and make video calls, laugh at funny pictures, search for answer to questions during examinations, which is not a purpose for the phones at that point in time. This is most common is Universities and other Higher institutions of learning.
    Most youths follow the trend of “latest in town” which is made possible by smartphone companies. Most companies upgrade their phones quality in a bid to attract more clients. This is visible with the IPhones and Samsung who upgrade most often. This causes a whole lot of commotion as people need to upgrade to the next level at all cost. Jealousy, theft, and comparism dominate the minds of those who wish to afford but can’t.
    What your phone can do, how many mega pixels your camera has, the quality of the pictures, and the most important, the phone’s price are in the lists of criteria used to judge the quality of a phone. Smartphones were produced for the betterment of the human race but as it will seem, contemporary youths have defiled its reason-d’étre, making themselves addicts, and slaves to the phones. They have been termed the ‘head-bowed youths” generation by sundry. This is because they move with their heads bent low, eyes focused on their phone. Just like parents and men of God will have it, only persistent prayers and God’s intervention can change the hand of things. Do “YOU” have a Smartphone? Sure you do, or plan on having one, even the latest. Just mind where, when and for what you use your Smartphone. It could “MAKE” or “UNMAKE” your future.