CNN - If you're looking for a harbinger of the zombie apocalypse, look no further than all those people on the street pecking at their tiny, handheld windows into a private world.
So say a good portion of the commenters reacting to a semi-satirical article by comedian-columnist Dean Obeidallah, who noted the difficulty he had spending a day without a cell phone. It had become something bordering an addiction, he said, or at least a strong habit.
Some readers were taken aback.
"The boy needs to get a life," said commenter realworldaddict, who also wrote, "Hint to him and all the rest of the people walking around like zombies watching for messages on their cellphones: Wake up and pay attention to the world around you. Nobody is trying to contact you 24/7, and did you really want to know that one of your 568 'friends' on Facebook just got a new goldfish?"
Perhaps we're all shambling through daily life. When ObewanSnow mentioned a desire to keep a cell phone because it serves as a "safety crutch," the discussion turned to self-sufficiency and even dystopian scenarios.
"When the apocalypse hits in December, you will be one of the first ones to go," replied a commenter. "You have become too reliant on technology. You are afraid of breaking down and not having AAA to save you. You better toughen up and learn to work on your own car, or you will perish very quickly."
Maybe they're taking a page from Stephen King's novel, "Cell," in which the protagonist, Clayton Riddell, doesn't turn into a zombie because he doesn't own a cell phone. The story is about an event called "The Pulse" that turns cell phone users into vicious, mindless beings. The ill effects of omnipresent communication are a common motif in science fiction.
Despite the anxiety, mobile devices are big business. Apple has recently sold millions of its iPhone 5 devices, and there are many people who believe that smartphones and tablets can almost give us superhuman abilities. But their omnipresence in daily life has not been without controversy, raising concerns that our lives will be forever changed by this technology -- and not in a good way.
Commenter Mug Costanza called getting rid of his cell phone after the contract expired "one of the most liberating experiences I've ever had," and said he's beginning to notice the walking dead all around him.
"Now it seems really weird to me when I am in a doctor's office or subway and I see 95% of the people around me glued to their phones, clicking away like zombies," he said. "My favorite is when you go out with a group of friends and everybody at the table is just playing with their phones instead enjoying themselves with real live people."
Indeed, dozens of commenters asserted that they don't own a mobile phone, or have stopped using them. Some say the tight economy has given them extra incentive.
That's the case with commenter wordswords, who says that in real life, he is the patriarch of the Words family of Cape Coral, Florida. He and his wife have six children, and that means a lot of phone bills if each family member has their own phone.
"I gave up my cell phone about two years ago," Words commented. "I made a commitment to saving money and our family went back to a single land line. Since then I estimate we've saved around $4,000. And we haven't lost or damaged a phone since!"
After the economy went downhill, the family had lost income and needed to cut down their bills. Words said getting rid of eight cell phones "cold turkey," a phrase often used in connection with addiction, has been a worthwhile decision.
"The kids all hate me, but they enjoy the roof over their heads and the food on their table," Words said. "My two eldest have jobs and did get their own, but hey, as long as they're paying for it themselves, I'm all for it."
Since they are a large family, the Words upgraded to two phone lines to ease the strain. The family still keeps their disconnected smartphones to use with Wi-Fi connections while traveling on vacations, which Words said is a luxury they now can afford. There are other benefits, too.
"The constant 'ding' of texting is gone, so we communicate with words and in person like a family should, instead of with words on a phone," he said. "We love it. Others don't understand us, but that's all right."
Expense was a great motivator for artist and aspiring writer Ben Joynes, 31, of San Francisco, California, who decided that he had to focus on what was really important in life.
"Do the math. I simply cannot afford a cell phone contract, and it does not give me functionality that I absolutely need in my life in order to stay reasonably connected with people or be functional," Joynes said. "My little brother who lives out of state has one, and I've tooled around with it extensively. I think they are amazing pieces of technology, and I can see how they enhance people's lives. They are 'Star Trek' technology -- literally -- today and in the palm of your hand. I just can't afford one, and prefer
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