MegBurns

I am well aware that my aversion to obsessive smartphone use in public stems from growing up in a household where a) we were NOT permitted to answer the phone during dinner, or movies, or any other family time and b) we had one computer, with dial-up internet (since we didn’t have TV), so “connection time” was limited and allocated for the family so we all had a fair share.

HOWEVER.

I cannot stand overuse of cell phones in public. Unless someone is calling you or you are answering an important text/bbm, I find it horribly rude of people to play away on their phone while at the movie theater, while in the car with other people, at dinner, on the bus/train, and generally whenever hanging out with a group of people or your significant other.

Please note that professionally, I work in social media. I have a blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook, and a LinkedIn that I update frequently. I get it. I get the value of connecting, the benefits of updates and check-ins and statuses. But there is a limit!

My view is that social media is only beneficial if it enhances true human engagement and interaction - it doesn’t replace it.

I  know my opinion has legs - there is a reason that books are “en vogue” again and people jump for joy when they get *real* mail and handwritten thank you cards- we all still crave that true human element. Social media and electronic communication is not going anwhere, and it’s a tremendous tool that’s added a whole new element to the way we live. I just think we could all use a boundary check.

(edit: a few comments on the train/bus being an appropriate place for cell phone use- I should have clarified! I meant it’s not an appropriate place to TALK on the phone! I would die on public transpo without email/bbm/internet!)