GMAT Essays (AWA)

I want a honest rating please!!

It is fair to say that people should be barred from using their cell phone in places where preserving silence is very important. However the restrictions should be limited to certain places and should not extend to general public places, like cafe's and restaurant's, as this may lead to the feeling among the citizens that their freedom is being compromised for the sake of few individuals.

Cell phones have become a part and parcel of our lives and we conduct many useful functions through through them daily. If a mom wants to inform her kids that she would be late to pick them from their school the cell phone provides a very good medium to communicate that message. It is also used to deliver emergency messages which at times save lives! So it would be inappropriate to restrict the use of cell phones in certain public places. Restaurant and pubs are places where people come to relax and chat, away from the office environment where they are subjected to restrictions. Banning the use of cell phones in such places might invoke a backlash and the restaurant itself might become unpopular.

In places like museums, where the silence is needed the authorities can designate special zones where people can have their cell phone conversations so that silence is maintained and people can also communicate their messages. Appropriate hoardings can also be displayed where required, mentioning the need to avoid cell phone usage. However there will be some incidences where some individuals might feel disturbed due to others' phone calls, but nothing much can be done in that regard as use of technology has its own disadvantages.

Having said that, there are some places where the use of cell phones should be strictly banned and the people should also respect the ban. For example, Hospitals use certain surgical and life saving equipments which rely on network communications. Use of cell phones in such places might lead to a loss of life. A similar incidence occured during my recent visit to a hospital where a person suffering from heart attacks died due to jamming of signals emanating from the cell phone. Places like theatre also require the need for such silence and cell phones can be banned in such places or special places can be designated.

It is clear from the above statements that there needs to be a certain degree of freedom allowed in the usage of cellphones and it should be banned in place where the maintenaning silence and avoiding cell phone radiations is of utmost importance.