Glowing pants! (The Ecology of Media)

Have you ever been in a deep conversation with someone and they start looking at their pocket? You begin to motion that they can go ahead and check their phone. You convince yourself that you can wait however long to tell them the rest of your story; the one about your life changing epiphany you had last night while you were eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They look concerned and give you an apologetic look. Then their pants start glowing and yes, the cellphone interrupts again.

The cell phone has connected people all over the world and has become increasingly popular since it was first used in April 1973 by Dr. Martin Cooper, the man who is said to be the inventor of the portable device. In the 70’s, the cell phone’s sole purpose was to allow two people to talk to each other without the restrictions of a landline. This was a huge innovation to people around the world because it allowed everyone to keep in touch constantly, no matter where they were. With advancements in technology the cellular phone now has a multitude of functions beyond simple two way calls. Cell phones most commonly are used for phone calls and text messaging but they now have games, built-in cameras, media players, internet access, special messenger programs like Blackberry Messenger, voice recorders,and instant Facebook and Hotmail access.


In The Playboy Interview: Marshall McLuhan by Playboy Magazine, McLuhan introduces a theory that technology becomes an extension of man, an extension of what we normally do with the human body to amplify our senses. Using McLuhan’s theory, I agree that it can be argued that the cell phone is an extension of our mouths and ears because it allows us to transfer information to each other through this medium of technology.


Being born in this generation that is media-dominant, I own a cell phone, and have had one since I was fifteen years old. At fifteen a cell phone was quite unnecessary, yet all of my friends owned one and most of them had since they were thirteen. Now kids are getting cell phones at younger ages and just about every adult has one. To really understand the impact this device has made on our culture we can look at the new law that has taken effect that prohibits the use of hand-held devices while driving a motor vehicle. This new law shows us that people are now so connected with their phone that they cannot put it down even when driving a vehicle.

The cell phone has become a significant source of communication, keeping everyone in touch with one another around the world. Some even believe that it is a “cellular-shield,” something that can protect them if they ever encounter danger. Others feel it is a comfort blanket to know that their family and friends are just a call away.


Recently, I lost my cell phone for a week and it felt as if I had a huge rain cloud on top of my head because for the week I was persistently dwelling on where I could have misplaced what I like to call my “life line”. I couldn’t keep in touch with my friends as easily and by commuting to Rexdale everyday for school, (on a city bus) I felt as if I was not protected by my so called “cellular-shield”! Luckily, I found it and life went back to normal. Phew!

Works Cited:

McLuhan, Marshall. “The Playboy Interview: Marshall McLuhan.” Interview. Playboy Mar. 1969. Web.

"Who Invented the Cell Phone?". October 1, 2009 .