Josie wonders what the world would look like without phones

By Josie Collier 

Editor-in-Chief

According to Pew Research Center, 81% of Americans own some kind of smartphone device. So, I thought, what would happen if that 81% of the U.S. population, about 268 million people, had to turn off their smartphones for a whole 24 hours?

Younger generations might think that it would be the apocalypse, but the Baby Boomer generation, and a part of the Gen X generation, would think of it as simply revisiting a day from their childhood. Nowadays, a majority of smartphone users have arguably become dependent on their smart devices. Their whole lives, including schedules, contacts, photos and videos, are stored in a three-inch by six-inch rectangle. 

If smartphone users had to turn off their smartphone for a day, it would be a great detriment to the United States population. Economic markets would crash and   students would not be able to access lessons or homework because of the drastic shift to online course materials. In all, it would be an immediate halt to the functioning of the American people. 

Another aspect of turning off smart devices for an entire day is the possibility of nomophobia. Nomophobia is the irrational fear of being without a mobile phone or being unable to use a phone. According to Psychology Today, approximately 65% of the U.S. population suffers from nomophobia. So, turning off smartphones would not only hurt the U.S. economically, it could cause a significant strain on the emotional well-being of the American population. 

Though powering down for a day could lead to notable issues, it could also mean that everyone is able to appreciate each other a little more. Powering down would mean more face-to-face conversations, and looking up from the screen could make people realize that there is more to life than a smartphone. Shutting down could lead to an  ironic epiphany that smartphones are not as important as the people and happenings around them seem to think. 

Smartphones have become a justified necessity for a majority of this country, but turning  phones off for a day could make everyone realize how much the disconnect was needed.