Iphone - a Device that Made a Significant Impact on The World

Introduction

Barker (2000) defined the conceptions we hold of ourselves as self-identity. The iPhone, in its early stages of world takeover in regard to technology, provided me with the ability to express self-identity. The iPhone offered connection, communication, and knowledge, which all largely contribute to self-identity. It allowed me to access information, engage in social interaction, and ensure personal safety. In a way, the iPhone provided me with a sense of self—it was a comfort object, functioning in a way that connected me with everything occurring within society through the safety of a screen. I could communicate during my teenage years, express my feelings and thoughts with the world through a new domain of communication. The iPhone was the creator of apps that further introduced me to social media.

The iPhone as an Extension of Self

Many believe we have begun to see our smartphones as an extension of ourselves; I believe this was true for me during my teenage years, with unlocking my iPhone much like unlocking my mind. We increasingly identify with our phones, increasingly seeing them and the digital life we lead as constitutional factors in our psychological life. According to Barker (2000), the expectations and opinions of others form our social identity. Being part of groups is a fundamental aspect of being human; it plays a critical role in everything we do, including the brand groups we may belong to. Being part of the iPhone group contributed to establishing my social identity. At such a young age, I was using consumption to assert status within a social group—mobile phones were seen as an object for adults. I believe I was trying to appear more mature and older with the purchase of an iPhone, as well as conforming to the ever-growing technical society. Being socially identified with those who owned an iPhone, I believed, demonstrated wealth and superiority. I had the best phone of the time, and everyone wanted a turn with it. This slowly deteriorated when the iPhone began being updated yearly and more and more people had the iPhone.

Social Identity and Distinction

Overall, in society, I was not performing distinction, but it was uncommon to be a twelve-year-old with an iPhone. Within my group, I was the first to own an iPhone, the first with a smartphone, which I believe was the only way I was performing distinction. Being the owner of an iPhone is not distinct; the majority of the world owns an iPhone or some type of smartphone, so it is wrong to declare I was performing distinction. I may have believed I was performing distinction at the time when Apple was first establishing the iPhone, but I was just like everyone else in society, trying to get on the smartphone bandwagon.

The Illusion of Individuality

When I received my first iPhone, I believed it was an object I could use to express my individuality, but upon reflection, I was a pseudo-individual. It really did not matter what phone I had, and at the age of twelve, I probably did not even need a phone. The mass-marketed and mass-produced smartphone was something I thought I needed. The iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone, but it was the smartphone to have. The iPhone was a false need, something that was imposed upon me due to certain social interests. The consumer expresses individuality in a way; at first sight, the iPhone is not an object of individuality with its basic appearance of a large screen and glass back, but when in the hands of the consumer, it becomes their own. Consumers make it their own through the apps they choose to download, the photographs they keep on their phone and use for display, the features such as ringtones, the color, the cases, and all other accessories that can be used with or on an iPhone. It becomes a way to express individuality.

The iPhone's Impact on Society

The iPhone is a device that has made such a significant impact on the world with its mass consumption. I have now owned an iPhone for eight years, and my relationship with it has changed. As the years have gone on, so has the development of the iPhone, with advancements that are never-ending and driving social change. Without my iPhone, I would likely have been lost far too many times, unable to call an Uber, save dates, and wake up on time. The relationship has shown me being very reliant upon the iPhone, which plays a large part in the production of my everyday life from the minute I wake up. If the alarm does not go off, my whole day is influenced.

Negative Aspects of iPhone Dependency

I would also like to comment on how the relationship has changed to affect me negatively. The iPhone, at many times, has led me to be disconnected from the world around me. Real-life relationships have become ruined with shallow and less meaningful conversations, while the connections and relationships made through the iPhone tend to be superficial, fueled by likes and quick comments. There is also an expectation to be available and responsive at all times. In regard to work, the expectation is to be available 24/7. There are now fewer spaces where it’s possible and appropriate to be offline, which has made my relationship with the product somewhat negative.

References

• Barker, C. (2000). Cultural studies: Theory and practice. SAGE Publications.