Be polite and put your smartphone down
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!)
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goodeggs liked this
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katiepiemiscellany said:
Totally get it in terms of hanging out with others, but what’s the issue with bus/train? Public transport is the perfect place to catch up with social networking!
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herblondness liked this
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dailydoseofsarcasmandsass liked this
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caseyculture liked this
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scenes-from-my-hood liked this
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lavidasf said:
I agree for the most part - but I think using my phone to check email on the bus is okay? I think talking isn’t all right - but texting or emailing while commuting to work? That seems ok.
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embraceyourpace liked this
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meredithbklyn said:
totally totally agree. it’s a bad habit that a lot of people (including myself sometimes) need to break.
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meredithbklyn liked this
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rabsnyc liked this
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emmysnacks liked this
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littlelaur liked this
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moreofmolly liked this
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dailykayla said:
I was on a first date once and the guy (a former Road Ruler. /embarrassing) KEPT his phone on the table at dinner and checked it every 30 seconds. So rude. No one is that in demand. Sorry. First and last date. Thanks. lol
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valerina said:
Yes. Oh my god. I have a friend who begged me to come over one time (at my inconvenience) and proceeded to stay on her phone the entire time I was there. I was livid. It’s so rude.
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alybooboo liked this
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