allowed the woman to call her friend and ask what decision to make regarding the possible purchase. As a result, the cell phone has become a mechanism for communication to the point to which it inhibits our personal judgements and allows us to instead rely on those of our loved ones, friends, and business associates in all day to day situations. The cell phone essentially provides people with the comforting feeling that we are not alone in the world and in the actions we take, but that an additional guide and aid will always be present. This communication that the cell phone provides may, however, be viewed as inhibiting to personal growth and independence, because it encourages the easier route of relying on others to assume our decisions rather than on ourselves. In addition to increasing our dependency on others, communication through the cell phone provides for and encourages our interpersonal imperative, or our human drive and need to be social. Among the three basic social needs, cell phones allow people to develop both an inclusion and a control need. The cell phone provides for the possibility of interaction with others who are not present through speech, at any place or any time. As a result, the cell phone allows people to connect with others and share their experiences while they are actually taking place, and to thus allow others to feel included at all times. This is clear as Jack, while sick in bed, was unable to attend a basketball game that he previously bought tickets for. Nevertheless, Bob still attended the game, and took his cell phone with him with the intention of calling Jack during the sporting event. Although the television in Jacks home was able to communicate to him every single move and action taken by each player on both teams, Jack nevertheless felt disappointed and unconnected to the game. When Jack suddenly received a phone call from Bob during the last quarter of the game when the favoring team...
