Opinion

No modern gadget is worth killing your mother over

America is a materialistic society, so wanting the next best thing has been ingrained in us from a very young age. Whether it be through the constant television advertisements showcasing a “new and improved” product or the constant proximity to other individuals with these gadgets, we are never satisfied with what we have.

The gadget that seems to hold the most importance in our world today is the cellphone. But when a person becomes overly obsessed with this gadget — to the point where they cannot see straight without it — serious consequences can arise.

According to the Los Angeles Times and confirmed by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, a 12-year-old girl was arrested on March 20 for attempting to poison her mother for taking away her iPhone. According to Cmdr. Heidi Prentup, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, the girl attempted to poison her mother twice, first on March 2 and again on March 6.

According to the New York Daily News, the girl poured bleach into her mother’s morning smoothie. The mother could smell the bleach but believed it to be as a result of the glass not being rinsed properly, said Prentup in a statement. The next incident occurred four days later when the suspect poured bleach into the water carafe in her mother’s room.

“On the second occasion, mom noticed the odor of bleach and confronted her daughter,” said the released statement, as reported by the New York Daily News. “This is when she learned her daughter had developed a plan to kill her for taking away her iPhone.”

The girl’s response to the confiscation of her phone was drastic and unusual, but her response was stemmed from her obsession and addiction to her iPhone, which is not unusual for today’s young people — especially teenagers. Because cellphones are so prevalent, teenagers seem to believe that it is catastrophic if they don’t have one.

Fortunately, according to Liberty Voice, the mother called Boulder Community Hospital immediately. She was discharged after being examined thoroughly and is now in stable condition. The victim’s daughter was charged with first-degree murder attempts for both incidents after being taken to Boulder County Juvenile Center.

More and more, our country is becoming increasingly concerned with having all the gizmos and gadgets that are out there. We are never satisfied with just one thing; we always want more.

Just think back to all the times a new model of the iPhone has been released. Even if a person has a perfectly decent model, they will still want the newer model. Therein lies the problem.

We are like trained robots that amp up the technology market because we are prone to buying all the new gadgets, despite the fact that we don’t need them. And the fact that we tend to prioritize our phones over our loved ones is a problem. Nobody does this purposefully, but we are all guilty of it.

I’ve had experiences where I’ve overheard people saying they are too busy to call home, but they aren’t too busy to spend hours on their phone. This is an attitude that needs changing.

Cellphones may carry a ton of information, but they are utterly valueless. A person should prioritize their family and friends over a silly gadget.

If a cellphone breaks, a new one can easily be bought. If a family member or friend is lost, they are gone forever. Materialistic items can be replaced, people cannot be.

As for the case of the 12-year-old girl, her investigation is ongoing, ABC News reported. It will be the decision of the District Attorney to choose the charges, said the sheriff’s office.

Opinion columnist Trishna Buch is a print journalism senior and may be reached at [email protected].

1 Comment

  • Moral of the story. If you have a spoiled kid and you make them mad, hire a body guard or call a insane asylum.

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