I'd actually reverse the point. Possessing a phone seems to give people the addiction of reaffirming their social value with little "New Text Message" nuggets

I'd actually reverse the point. Possessing a phone seems to give people the addiction of reaffirming their social value with little "New Text Message" nuggets throughout the day. Or the need to cater to every correspondence whim by immediately returning calls and texts. I think the loss of freedom is less contingent on getting a phone, and more indicative of the general social insecurities most of us share.