#41. Mobile Phones Are Harmful to Your Health

The possibility exists that cell phones, er, mobile devices are carcinogenic. Yes, back in the 90’s when I got my first Nokia 3310, and then my badass Motorola StarTAC, arguably the coolest mobile phone ever invented, there were whispers about the harmful effects of holding the phone up to your ear.

But you don’t hear much about it nowadays, do you? I don’t. At least I don’t anymore.

Perhaps it’s because phones are ubiquitous and considered by many a vital part of today’s society. One might argue almost as important to a user as his/her limbs. There’s a lot of dependency placed on mobile phones and a ton of money behind them now.

The last time I’d heard about mobile phones possibly causing cancer was from my wife, whose good friend at work’s husband was (still is) a brain surgeon. Pshaw… a bush-league position if I’d ever heard of one. Certainly someone unqualified to offer an opinion on this topic.

I don’t know if mobile devices cause cancer. I’m sure if I did a google search I could come up with articles aplenty arguing both sides of the fence.

But here’s what I do know. Mobile phones cause people to pick them up. To be attached to them in an unhealthy way. To be preoccupied with them. To always be accessible.

I did something different last night and today. First, I set an alarm on an alarm clock, remember those? and I left my iPhone in the living room. Gasp! Yeah, I did. And not only did I survive, a sense of calmness over took me when I went to sleep.

And then yesterday afternoon, I took a walk with my wife to our garden, and we LEFT our phones behind! Double GASP! And it was lovely. Although I did start to sweat and have trouble breathing at one point…

Mobile phones are amazing wonders of technology. They do for us what we never could have imagined could be done for us. And I’m certain it’s only the beginning.

But there is a drawback. They eat into our lives. Yes, our lives. And I, for one, am going to fight back… a little.