I don't have a phone, and I don't really want one, either! I just don't see a reason for having one. I can communicate with my friends just fine in person, and if I can't see them face-to-face, I'll just use a computer! Plus, phones have a lot of negative effects, which has already been mentioned. Being on screens too much makes me feel kind of icky, and I don't want the temptation of a smartphone. I understand that phones are necessary to some people for communication and other things, but I don't need or want a phone, so I'm not going to get one! 

I do not possess a smartphone and honestly I'm frightened of getting one because of what it might do. Luckily, I won't get one for a while, since my mom keeps on telling me that I have to have a job first so I can pay for it myself. It's extremely tempting to be online for too long, once you've started.

@Zealatom, I have had a similar situation as yours except with my computer instead of a phone. I had to hide my keyboard to avoid just aimlessly being on the computer or the CB.

And not just social media can cause depression. For three years, I was doing distanced learning on zoom and got really depressed. The moment I stopped doing all my homework assignments online my depression suddenly vanished...By the way, I'm not saying communication or screens are bad, just that without moderation and self control, they can be detrimental to health. I have three health problems which all decreased considerably once I limited my screen time.

It makes me sad sometimes that everyone is always on a phone. They just feel so...distant. I have a cousin whose mom gave him a cell phone and she says that he doesn't talk as much anymore.

In my opinion, I believe that people should not have phones until they have the responsibility to set limits for themselves. Or set a computer time limit. I have a fifteen minute timer for the time I'm on CB, and my parents installed an app so my computer locks after a certain time limit.

I actually enjoy using my phone a lot, it's easier to text and call friends, look up things, and play music on the go, than using an iPad or a computer. However, I do see where you guys are coming from. I'm not as affected by my smartphone as other people, though, because I have very strict screen time limits. 

I just wanted to say, the downside of having a phone and being in a conversation with someone else, (this has happened to me before), is that sometimes they'll flat out ignore you or not show interest in the words you're saying because they're too preoccupied scrolling through social media or doing something else. It's annoying when you're at a party or something, and since people can bring their phones anywhere, not like computers or iPads, mentioned above lol, they can just kind of deflect you? I don't think that's the phrase, but open and face-to-face conversation can get really hard when they're only half there. 

Not having a cell phone IS cool - or definitely should be! I think a lot of phone-free CBers are tired of being ignored or left out of things by their friends because "they don't have smart phones and aren't 'cool'". I think it's time for us to start being proud of the fact that we've been strong enough to not have smart phones despite that. However, if you have one, it's your decision and I'll respect that :)

@Amethyst, I agree with you that there is some peer pressure to get a phone, and I like this thread because I don't feel like I'm the only person who doesn't have a phone.

@Sine, I don't think that anyone implied "that having a phone is not cool," like you said. I think that nothing in particular is "cool" and that classifying something as "cool" depends on a person's perspective and interest. For example, some people might think that um...*thinks* cat mermaids that have a unicorn horn and are rainbow colored are considered cool, but I personally don't. I don't think what's "cool" matters. It depends on what each individual prefers, as well as their personal opinion.

To everyone, I feel like this is a bad time to pop in, but I can't resist this. I feel like this conversation is starting to head in the direction of phones=technology/internet/health problems. Some people might be trying to say that they rely on phones too much than they prefer to and would like to quit (or already have), while others might be just pointing out the reasons they don't want smartphones, yadda yadda. There's no need to take it personal if you have a diffrent opinion or situation. Calm down, have a cup of tea. Or a milkshake, if you're not lactose-intolerant. No one is trying to hurt anyone on purpose here. It's the CB!

On a semi but not completely related note(Ah, you can stop here if you were focused on the debate), I do agree with Amethyst that peer pressure is a issue that influences the matter of phones, and I also had more arguments with my parents about getting one(If you're wondering, the phone now converted unwieldy alarm clock was an old smartphone, so I was thinking of getting a better one back then). And it is very, very infuriating- No just kidding- um, very awkward when 95 percent of my whole grade is on phones or tablets during the boring parts of a graduation ceromony when all I have to pass the time is a very bashed up copy of Good Omens and a pen. One tends to feel left out and really I relate to that.

[The ceremony went quite well though, when things got warmed up.]

i find this thread very interesting. my parents have a lot of hesistation regarding technology and the like. I do have a smart phone, but it is exremely limited. I'm only allowed one social media platform and even that has a thirty minuite time limit on it. Other apps have time limits as well. I really only got it becuase I started a new school this year and its an hour away. My parents didnt feel comfortable with me taking the nyc subway an hour to and an hour from school all alone without any means of communication. Last summer a friend of mine showed me how to download apps without my parents' consent. I downloaded one app and after a day of mindless scrolling I felt sick, headachy and like I had no contorl over my life. While that is true, I dont think socail media is entirely awful. I think spending a small amount of time a day to check in on what your friends and family are doing and to let others know what you are doing as well is fine. I often feel left out when most of my friends do this and know about that because they're phones arent striclty for music, communication, and transportation. I also dont have to worry about kids using thier phones in school because my school frowns upon technology and only us high schoolers are allowed laptops and even those are only if we get a teachers permission to use it. 

@Sine I have found lots of ways to cut down on screentime. First, a very obvious choice is set screen limits for the apps you use the most. You can crete your own password so that you can always just log back into the app and use the screentime as a healthy reminder that you should take a break or you cna have your parents create the password and therefore you have no way of reentering the app until the next day. I also have a downtime set on my phone. After 9:00 pm I can only contact my family members and use essential apps like google maps, music, wallet, settings etc. (yes music is essential.) It turns off for me at 12:00 AM the next day. Therefore I get a whole night and morning free of technology. Of course there are other ways but those are the only two i can think of right now. I'll get back to you if i think of more. :)

@everyone I dont think those of us who do not have phones should chastise those of us who do and the other way around. Also, I had to do a research paper with my friend and we chose the topic of "How does social meida, technology, and social exclusion effect the developing teenage brain" and we conducted inerviews with college professors and journalists who wrote about the topic. Should anyone want to know more, I would be happy to give an info dump :)

Oh yes. I didn't know there were so many people without phones. Ah yes I only have my school iPad that I am typing on right now. (And amazon fire that's like 1,000 years old) I am never getting a phone, you get addicted to it! I would chose nature over it anytime!