Friday Snow Day: Maturing

I have to disagree with Turkle saying that back in her time when you could go out on your own and explore the city by yourself without your parents is so much different than if we did it now. If my way to "mature into a young adult" was to go out in the city on my own, phone or not, I would still have to face the same fears she would've. What if something happened and I called my dad? He wouldn't just come running to the rescue. I would still be stuck in those same feelings she would've faced. Just because she couldn't call her dad if chose, doesn't mean she matured any better than I did.

I did get my first cell phone when I was 13 years old, it was actually my birthday present. By the time I was 15 I got my first car, which sat in the driveway until I could pay the insurance for it, which meant getting a job. So, at 16, about a week after my birthday I got hired at Food Lion making minimum wage. I had to pay for my phone, insurance, gas, and any repairs that needed to be done to my vehicle. (and there were a lot)

My dad gave me the phone and then told me to pay the bill. I wanted it, so I had to learn how to be able to have luxury's like that, they weren't just handed to me. I believe Turkle thinks that we all have it easy because we have technology but I learned that it came with responsibility and matureness. If I had never gotten my phone or car I wouldn't have had a job to learn how to budget, pay bills, file taxes, to see how many hours it really takes to pay your bills, how to develop communication skills, problem solve, and build relationships with coworkers and customers. I think that by having technology it taught be a bigger lesson and helped me mature more than if I never got it all.