This is the first part of a two part series, where we will explore some uses of the cell phone and also follow a brief history of communications as it evolved, from ancient times to the 19th century.

Today, everywhere you look, people are talking through a mobile device, also known as their cell phone. Even in places where they are not allowed, people always manage to find a way to use the sometimes annoying communication tool. Cell phones have also become an essential communication tool. They are used by all age ranges, ethnic origins, genders, educational and economic levels. For someone who is being abused and stalked, in a time of danger, the cell phone can save their life, but there are new challenges and problems associated with this advanced mobile device. The cell phone serves several purposes, and no, it is not just a mobile gaming device or a device for storing catchy ringtones. Not only has it become so vital to our communication needs through voice and text messaging, but it can also capture and retain a snapshot of the moment and alert you to news, help you find better transit routes, and more.

However, the reality is that there are times when it becomes so irritating and uncomfortable to listen to cell phone users and their loud, laughing, raucous and annoying conversations while policing public places. Do you care what someone you don’t know is having dinner tonight with stinky Aunt Emma, ​​what clothes she’s going to wear, or if her employer is a pain in the ass? I know I don’t care if they have a bad hair day or if they suffer from hemorrhoids, and I don’t want to hear the details of how they’re going to implant that egg. Does it matter if Jennifer’s mother-in-law (whom she apparently hates) comes to visit, or if Sue cheated on Joe, and now she’s pregnant and needs an immediate abortion? If I want to hear those things, I’ll talk to Jerry Springer. I certainly don’t want to hear about it while I’m standing in line at the bank.

This behavior puts those within earshot in an awkward position. Also, cell phones are terribly distracting, especially when driving. It is the main cause of accidents. “Intexticated” is a new term for people who text on a cell phone while driving. It is not just a word invented by the police, but a dangerous habit that kills people. I just can’t imagine how people can text while driving. Statistics show it’s like having a few drinks before you get behind the wheel, but it can be more dangerous than drunk driving. Plus, people rely on their cell phones so much that they forget about the minutes and expenses associated with using them. Oh! They hit the roof when they found out what their monthly bill was. Even though they are the ones who seem to have ignored the terms of service. Oh well, the joy of small sacrifices. Have you noticed that there are now signs on the receptionist’s desk when she goes to the Doctor’s office, to please turn off cell phones? There are too many people totally addicted to cell phone use, even 30 minutes of having to turn it off is sheer torture for them, inducing enormous stress and anxiety. I watch as they squirm nervously in their seats, occasionally running out into the aisle for their quick fix, drool slipping from their twitching mouths as you hear the buzz…vibrating in her pockets. Unable to answer, they go to the bathroom. Even through the walls you can still hear “Hey Cindy, what’s going on? These people are constantly checking their phones for voicemails and texts, and if there aren’t any, their self-esteem plummets.”

In today’s modern era of advanced technology and mobile phone use, 2011, I can’t help but wonder how man used to communicate his thoughts.

The cave dwellers shouted warnings to the entire tribe within earshot. Others would use hand signals or devices such as a horn, bells, a signal fire, a flag made of cloth, or a hollow tree drum. Evidence of communication would be seen through paintings of animals and animal hunts found on cave walls, possibly serving as a hunting lesson for younger members of the tribe. Symbols have also been found that represent images of people, places, animals and things, recorded for posterity thousands of years ago. The oral tradition of storytelling was the most effective use of communication that was passed down from one generation to the next. For example, let’s use the example of Uncle Louie, who was a frail old man coughing and wheezing on his deathbed. Naturally, as with human communications today, distortions and embellishments would be added along the way as the narrative is retold multiple times. The final version of the narrative was that Louis grew up to be a handsome, burly young hunter who tragically died prematurely, leaving a legacy of a record number of killed bison. Wow…what a way to do it, Uncle Louie!

Early American Indians were also highly attuned to body language and non-verbal communication. It was the most effective way to communicate because he made expressive use of his hands, arms, legs, and feet. For example, when it was the hunting season for the bison, which was their main source of food, they would go to the large grasslands where the bison grazed and lived off the land. As long as there was a pack nearby, the hunters knew they could keep their tribe and their families well fed. After scouting the area and finding a suitable spot near a watercourse, which would also put the tribe in view of the wild bison that frequented there, the hunters and their families cleared land, pitched tents, and built fires. The hunter’s robe was his way of communicating with the tribe regarding the bison. If a group of bison was noticed in the vicinity of the camp, one of them would throw his tunic in a certain way to suggest that the others stop. Showing the robe in a different way would reveal the immediacy of an approaching enemy. However, if one of the three hunters had been killed in an attempt to kill a bison, to convey this message to the tribe, the two survivors would run towards each other, and as they passed, one of them would drop to the ground. , communicating death in the midst of bravery.

Transportation was a means of communication between people. The first settlers of America depended particularly on its use for social and economic development.

Traveling through the desert was extremely difficult because the only roads that existed back then were the narrow trails made by the Indians. Eventually, with years of communication, these roads were widened to allow horses and carts to cross them. Human carriers, whether traveling on foot or on horseback, were used to convey long and complex messages, verbally or by letter. Since transportation was largely limited to water, early settlers would gravitate to the Atlantic Coast for the advantage of receiving their supplies of farm implements, cattle, horses, seeds, families, and letters from their homelands, which usually arrived by mail. sea. .

Most humans have a need to communicate.

For the woman of early America who lived on farms and in other rural communities, weaver bees were the only form of social interaction. This gave them a break after working all week on the farm, to exchange gossip and learn practical advice. There’s nothing like taking a week-long break from washing, cooking, and farming with a nice, relaxing job! Needless to say, all we have are arcades, sporting events, and coffee shops.

With the arrival of the Railways, people gathered from East to West and vice versa, thus increasing communication between all the inhabitants.

The cultures of the past were preserved by scholars who painstakingly reproduced the data by hand. Thus, the relatively slow-speed manual printing press made its appearance, followed by motorized presses, which were more efficient and accessible. Subsequently, books, publications and newspapers became available to many more people, stimulating literacy. As a consequence of international trade and domestic, commercial and agricultural development, the need to improve mass communications was in great demand.

In 1824, Louis Braille invented the Braille method, which was a tactile reading and writing system used by blind people. The first practical, mechanical typewriter was invented by Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel Soule in 1867. However, as you can see, communications technology really started to grow. In the next part of this series, we’ll look at how that technology continued to evolve into modern times, resulting in that compact, portable device that most people wear to their ear at all times: the mobile phone.