In today’s world, the use of cell phones is a fashion trend for young people to identify themselves, their skills, and future opportunities. Foley, Holzman, and Wearing (2007) aim to confirm the improvement of the quality of human experiences in public spaces through the application of cell phones. The relationship between mobile phones and consumptive leisure will be discussed as a possibility to reinforce personal freedoms and identities.
Cell Phones and Consumptive Leisure
The authors use in-depth interviews with adolescent girls and review recent literature findings to identify the peculiarities of preferred leisured lifestyles and the conditions under which their freedoms are achieved. They investigate mobile phones as a means for the development of a sense of self-confidence. Their main finding is that modern devices impart young people’s sense of autonomy because they provide access to public space for young ladies (Foley et al., 2007).
Conspicuous consumption (the use of mobile phones) determines the establishment of personal identity. Young people can move away from their families, decrease the level of parental control, and share their experiences with peers. The idea of freedom gains new meaning with the emergence of new technologies. At the moment of writing the article, the authors are concerned that cell phones positively contribute to the creation of new images and identities as a part of their leisure activities.
Conclusion
After reading the article, one should admit the benefits of mobile phones as available conspicuous leisure consumption. When young women decide to share their thoughts with peers via mobile phones, they take their first step outside their families and try to understand the essence of freedom and the worth of identity in the modern world. In general, the authors achieve their goals in this study and introduce strong evidence to support the connection between the chosen concepts.
References
Foley, C., Holzman, C., & Wearing, S. (2007). Moving beyond conspicuous leisure consumption: Adolescent women, mobile phones and public space. Leisure Studies, 26(2), 179-192.