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Cell Phones : Necessity or Luxury?

Remordere

Remordere

Android Enthusiast
We have a project on our Sociology class on how our society changes as technology advances. I need your guys' help on some research about the current status of cell phones.

For you, are cell phones necessity or a luxury? If possible please explain why.

Thank you in advance. Answers are appreciated :D

I'm not adding a poll because people just answer the poll and not have any inputs.
 
They first seemed a luxury, "gadget to have," years ago.. many years ago.

Now they've moved into necessity because of their portability as opposed to land lines; many people are ridding themselves of land lines, more and more cell users have never had a land line.
 
As mush as I use my phone for EVERYTHING, it's still a luxury for personal use. Even a basic flip phone that just makes calls is still a Luxury.

For business use, to remain competitive, it's a necessity .
 
Its really just a matter of perspective. As a human, no you don't need cell phones to survive, billions of people around the world get by every day without cell phones. As a matter of functioning efficiently in our modern world, their becoming more of a necessity, like the land line or automobile became.

And I'm reminded of a joke, I think from Family Guy. Can't remember the setup, but I think someone goes to the future, and someone says something about a phone booth. Then someone exclaims, "They have phones in booths now! Now I can finally stop carrying around this stupid cell phone."
 
I managed perfectly well for most of my life without a mobile phone. But now I'm working and living overseas, it's definitely a necessity. I have no landline at my apartment, just internet.
 
It's definitely a luxury. We perceive it as a necessity only because we make it one ourselves.
 
I feel the phone aspect is definitely a necessity in these times, everything else is without a doubt a luxury.
 
I've had some form of mobile communications since 1979. As a construction worker in the field, it has more than paid for it's self through the years. To coordinate and manage orders, deliveries, and man hours lucratively in the field it's a must. To call it a necessity is a bit over the top though. All man needs to survive is shelter and nourishment. (favorite pub and a brewski lol)
 
Its a luxury for sure. But between a cell phone and a toothbrush I'd take a cell phone
 
They are a necessity for me. I have no land line.

I was at some tech convention back on the 90's and I recall someone talking about networks and their value based on the population on that network. I believe the talk was related to Metcalfe's law. The speaker spoke about it becoming a disadvantage not to be part of the network once a certain percentage of the population (I think 10%) are on the network.

Back when telephones (land lines) first became available, it was a luxury and advantage to have one. Then once a significant portion of the population has a telephone, it becomes a disadvantage not to have one. Cell phones seem to have reached that threshold.
 
In my opinion its a necessity as far as phone calls and text messaging when you are in a place your not being able to talk. Its good in case of emergency's. I will go as far as to say the gps can also be placed in that category incase your lost in the woods. everything else is a luxury and something to keep us occupied. So its both
 
Luxury

I could EASILY get along without one, but I like having technology and convenience at an arms reach.
 
They are both. I have gone a month without a phone and it was hard. I can't even go a day without Facebook. My phone manages my daily schedule and it is also my alarm clock.
 
So if your definition of necessity is something you need to live,

then its a necessity

If I'm bleeding out on the side of the freeway after a car accident
 
Remordere said:
We have a project on our Sociology class on how our society changes as technology advances. I need your guys' help on some research about the current status of cell phones.

For you, are cell phones necessity or a luxury? If possible please explain why.

Thank you in advance. Answers are appreciated :D

I'm not adding a poll because people just answer the poll and not have any inputs.
Click to expand...
Not sure if you saw this thread, but it might help you: http://androidforums.com/lounge/234103-luxuries-yes-no.html

I think that cellphones are slowly becoming a necessity (and they are already are to a number of people). I mean 10-20 years ago, it wasn't because the cost of owning one was too expensive. Now with cellphones being affordable and cheaper than landlines, many people are now using their cellphones as their sole means of communication. This seems to be the direction we're heading and with time, we are slowly (or have) becoming more dependent on our phones as a medium for communication (and everything else it seems). The more dependent we become on a technology, the more it becomes a necessity.
 
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