A post on X has set off a lot of frustration and solidarity around an old but persistent idea: that cell phones are a luxury item poor or disabled people shouldn’t have.
“First, we deserve nice things too. Second, it’s 2025. They’re not a luxury anymore,” wrote one poster.
“You can’t find a job or access many social services without one.”
Phones Are a Necessity Now, Not a Luxury
A lot of people responded, sharing their own stories and situations.
Several people pointed out that smartphones are required to access medical services, book appointments, apply for jobs, and communicate with family or emergency services.
“You have to have a way to book appointments, talk to dr, call emergency services and connect with loved ones. It is a necessity these days,” one person wrote.
Another person added, “Here in Australia, you need a phone to access govt payments, pittance that they are. Besides, it’s cheaper to have a smartphone as opposed to a landline.”
People also shared that services now assume phone access.
“Most banking institutions now brickwall anyone without a phone,” said one person. “I cannot use certain institutions if I refuse to upload a photo. From my phone through their app.”
For those living with disabilities, cell phones are often more than just communication tools.
One poster said, “Our phones are a lot more than just a phone. Assistive technology that makes a lot of things possible that otherwise would have to be done by sighted people for us.”
Another person said, “Disabled or ill people actually require a cellular phone more than everyone else, as they need to speak with emergency services, physicians, pharmacists, and to arrange transportation to follow-up visits.”
Cheap Phones Exist, But the Stigma Persists
Some critics argue that people in need shouldn’t have expensive models, but many pushed back.
“You can get a sh*t one from Woolies for less than 100, and a pretty decent one online for 250,” one poster said. “People act like they’re all 1000.”
Another person added, “We are humans not animals. … We need clothes, shelter, safety, some basic services, way of communication and hygiene items and basic entertainment.”
The Bigger Issue: Who Gets to Have “Nice Things”?
Many commenters said the real problem is the belief that poor or disabled people don’t “deserve” anything beyond bare survival.
“I despise the idea of the ‘deserving poor,’” one person wrote. “I imagine the same folk who are proponents of that thought process would quite happily return to the workhouse model.”
The original poster responded to one comment with, “So those who can’t earn should just suffer indefinitely? Everyone needs a little joy in their life.”
Another person summarized the sentiment: “Mobile phones are an essential part of life, nothing luxurious about them. Everyone needs one, end of.”
What This Is Really About
It’s 2025. Cell phones are no longer a status symbol; they’re a baseline tool for survival. For many, especially disabled or low-income people, a phone is the cheapest and most efficient way to stay connected to the systems that keep them alive.
The debate over whether they “deserve” one says more about the people doing the judging than those just trying to get by.