Cell Phones

[Tipdin]

Ok, here's your warning. I'm going to rant.

 

I'm at college, waiting for class and I am surrounded by people on cell phones. There's more than two dozen conversations going on around me all at the same time.

 

I'm sitting in a library.

 

The Librarian is having an actual face-to-face conversation but she's louder than everyone else!

 

What is it that's so vital that nobody can put their phone down, much less shut the darn thing off? Are you one of THOSE people, whose phone is now a permanent part of your anatomy?

 

As a people are we so desperately lonely that we can't be left alone for even a moment? We actually have a need to be in constant contact no matter how tenuously?

 

Ironic as it may be, I once owned a telephone answering service. I understand how important a phone can be, but really, in a library? Seriously, do you need to be on the phone texting because you can't talk while class is in session? CLASS IS IN SESSION, shouldn't you be paying attention?

 

I am such an antique that I can remember asking the operator to dial, party lines, and dial phones. Does anyone besides me know that phone NUMBERS used to start with letters?

 

Don't parents teach manners anymore? Isn't it simply common sense to have a modicum of self-control?

Edited August 25, 2010 by Tipdin

[DragonMando]

I'm not really attached to my phone at all...until I don't have it. It spends most of its time turned off or on vibrate in my pocket, so people can leave messages if they have to, but I don't answer unless it's convenient/an appropriate time. I'll leave it on my desk for days and be fine. But the day I spent without a phone at all because it got run over by an 18-wheeler and had to be replaced...I thought I'd die.

 

This may also be a shocker, but I don't have texting, either. Someday maybe, when I have a job, but I haven't died without it yet. It also keeps my phone from ringing more than twice a week (both of those usually being my mother telling me to get out of bed)

[phana14]

I'm surprised that nobody has brought this up before.

 

I've seen homeless people with one hand holding up the cardboard sign that says "Will work for food" while their other hand tightly grasps that *must-have* item. And grandmothers risking *headon* collisions going around my traffic cones.And you can't BELIEVE the number of retard-oops-retired people we see pulling out of their garages while yaking. I mean for shits' sake, you just left the house! You couldn't finish the conversation first?

 

Mr. Tipdin sir, it's just one MORE sign of what thoughtless jerks we have become as a society! :sheep:

[option]

http://gawker.com/56...phone-addiction

 

http://gizmodo.com/5...n-everyone-else

 

 

using a mobile whilst in a class is just plain rude

[phana14]

http://gawker.com/56...phone-addiction

 

http://gizmodo.com/5...n-everyone-else

 

 

using a mobile whilst in a class is just plain rude

 

Thanks.

 

Those were quite interesting links.

 

I wonder if these same people have done a study (or whatever) as to why blacks text and yak more than any other *group*. I would be interested in those results.

 

Anyway option, thank you.

[Tipdin]

I thank each of you for responding. My tantrum is over and I feel a bit better.

 

I still don't understand why someone would have such an overwhelming need to use their phone, even when it is inappropriate, but I guess that's one of life's little mysteries.

 

I wonder if we'll hear from any admitted cell phone addicts...? After all, admitting it is the first step!

[Nephylim]

Meh... It's useful to keep in touch with my ex about my son and with home when I'm at work. I usually have it turned on becuase clients often ring me out of hours but I don't really use it to phone and I probabaly text maybe two or three texts a day usually to say what time I am going to be home or to sort something out with Ef's dad.

 

THe worst thing I did was sign up to sms facebook statuses because the bloody phone is now beeping everytime someone puts up a new status. seemed like a good idea but now I only want to get rid of it.

 

I am probably a horrible old fogey but I like the idea that there are things for everything... like a camera for taking pictures, a computer for emails and facebook, a personal organiser for appointments and caledars, an ipod or MP for music, and a phone to make calls and texts. Having everything in one small package confuses me.

 

 

[option]

Thanks.

 

Those were quite interesting links.

 

I wonder if these same people have done a study (or whatever) as to why blacks text and yak more than any other *group*. I would be interested in those results.

 

Anyway option, thank you.

 

 

I did read an article about the seperation of different groups between facebook & myspace, where facebook was predominantly white, whilst myspace had been left/became predominantly black & hispanic.

Facebook is non-customizable, essentially a tool where the content is the important stuff, myspace is customizable, & so 'bling' can be added.

 

 

I wonder if a mobile is seen as a status symbol?

If so, to enable it to be seen/shown, it has to be in use, otherwise its hidden in a pocket or bag.

[zland666]

For cellphones! It's how I get ahold of family members that live across the world where as my home phone can't do that. When my internet gets screwy i can easily access it on my phone. I usually get stuck trying to think of something to say to a friend when talking into the phone but you can have a random conversation over a text and it won't be strange. And don't start with 'teenagers only love this crap' because my 72 year old grandmother uses hers and my mom had started texting and likes it so

 

 

[phana14]

For cellphones! It's how I get ahold of family members that live across the world where as my home phone can't do that. When my internet gets screwy i can easily access it on my phone. I usually get stuck trying to think of something to say to a friend when talking into the phone but you can have a random conversation over a text and it won't be strange. And don't start with 'teenagers only love this crap' because my 72 year old grandmother uses hers and my mom had started texting and likes it so

 

 

Don't get your panties in a wad Miss!

Nobody is speaking of *KIDS*!

Read the above posts again.

Think.

OH!

OK. I *get* it.

JEEZ!

Are we calmed down now?

If you put yourself on the OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD you would be looking at me and my coworkers! And if I could upload graphic pictures to this site...well, it wouldn't matter. Because very few will remember past a few minutes.

And of course, this. My point.

From my side of the windshield I see every age/sex/colour/size and occupation (if any) and what I very seldom get to see is the colour of their eyes! Why do you suppose that is?

 

And I LOVE your new *name*, zland666. It seems to 'GLOW' more than the other one.

 

AND IF I CALL WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING??? Don't answer--it ain't me. p

[soup]

Yeah, i'm one of 'THOSE people' as you say. My phone is always with me. I don't see a huge problem though. Sure, it can sometimes be a little annoying seeing everyone becoming more and more self absorbed, but it's just the age we live in. If i want to stay up to date with what's going on in the lives of all my friendlies or plans for when we're going out, then it's either: use a phone or get facebook. I decided to stick with just the phone and i can confidently say that i don't check it nearly as often as some of my friends check their facebooks.

 

I go to a school where students bring their laptops to most lessons (what happened to pen and paper? gosh!) and if a teacher were to stand at the back of the class they'd see more than half the students on facebook. It's probably why i don't see the big deal in just sending a quick little text during class when people all around me are having whole conversations with each other over FB chat XD

 

A phone is the lesser of two evils, imho.

 

Then again, i'm being a bit of a hypocrite i do plan on getting a FB after school ends. I can't keep in touch with all my friends over the phone.

[Camilo]

My phone doesn't get reception now!!!! argh! I'm going to go insane without any service!

[Krista]

In one of my classes once we had to endure this woman that would text the entire time. She didn't know how to silence her keypad. Our poor professor was new and they were doing construction on the building next door, so she thought it was coming from there. It about drove me insane.. if you're not going to pay attention at least know how to work the damn thing..

 

And, I used to be really bad with my cell.. I still am pretty bad though.. lol. I don't talk text as much, I'm more for phone conversations if it isn't face to face - which I like best. I'm just too busy to talk to everyone I love talking to though, so the next best thing would be to use a phone. It's just that cell phones are more handy and can be taken everywhere. Access breeds addiction..

[Daisy139]

Oh, I hate the in-class texters. I used to be a teaching assistant and teach 4-8 hours a week....in about every class there was at least one person who would text during class. And my class wasn't lecture-style but like "here's what we're going to do, now do it" style. Some wouldn't even stop when I walked right in front of them and stared them down. I guess I look too harmless to scare anyone.

[Tipdin]

In-class texters are rude! I don't understand why people are so thoughtless and have so little regard for others.

 

If you're sitting in a food court at the mall, fine, but not in a classroom or library, that's just wrong.

 

But common sense isn't taught anymore. Manners are a thing of the past. Makes me realize how very OLD I've gotten!

[zland666]

Oh, I hate the in-class texters. I used to be a teaching assistant and teach 4-8 hours a week....in about every class there was at least one person who would text during class. And my class wasn't lecture-style but like "here's what we're going to do, now do it" style. Some wouldn't even stop when I walked right in front of them and stared them down. I guess I look too harmless to scare anyone.

 

Lol'z there was a girl in my english class in high school who kept texting the whole period when we had a sub that day and she didnt notice him standing over her and it scared her half to death and she's all "Just let me finish this text!" But he was a well known sub around the school for being a cool dude and broke all the school rules these were his :

 

"You can listen to your music while you do your work, you can text as long as I don't see the phone."

 

But i couldn't stand the strict teachers were you forgot too turn your ringer off and they'd just demand them even if it was in your back pack and where some nosy ones would actually look threw your phone and you couldn't do shiz about it because of the rules...

 

Yeah it is disrespectful too keep texting when your standing right there I would have grabbed the ruler and smacked the kids desk with it to get there attention lol

[colinian]

FOR cellphones.

 

When I enter a classroom or lecture hall I switch my phone to airplane mode then back to normal mode when I leave. That's also what I do in the libraries. In labs it depends on the lab; I'm a computer science major, so most of our lab work is in front of a computer so I turn off the ringer and turn vibrate on; in conducted labs I set it to airplane mode.

 

If someone in a class gets a call the instructor tells them to shut it down. In one of my classes a student actually answered a call that was obviously not an emergency and the professor invited him to leave the classroom and return when he understand courtesy; the guy stormed out and never came back.

 

The only time it bothers me when someone near me is texting is when their keyboard beeps with each keypress. I ask them to cool it, and if I any crap from them I raise my voice and ask them nicely to stop making noise so I can hear the lecture. 99% of the time that embarrasses them and it shuts down. For the 1% the "discussion" usually gets the instructor or TA to do something about it. That's just the way I am.

 

Colin

[TetRefine]

I am a pro-cell phone person. In college, if you don't constantly have your cell phone on you, you miss out on a lot of stuff. Plus it's my primary means of communication so I'm constantly using, checking, talking, texting, or checking to see if I got a text on it. I carry it around with me religiously and when I forget it, I always have to go back and get it. Don't want to miss out on anything.

[Cia]

I carry my cellphone around pretty much constantly as well. But I rarely text, it's not a fancy phone with picture capabilities and such. Mostly it's because I am on the go a lot with 2 kids and it's safer to have a phone with me in case of breakdowns, key lockouts, schedule changes and such.

[phana14]

In-class texters are rude! I don't understand why people are so thoughtless and have so little regard for others.

 

If you're sitting in a food court at the mall, fine, but not in a classroom or library, that's just wrong.

 

But common sense isn't taught anymore. Manners are a thing of the past. Makes me realize how very OLD I've gotten!

HUGS for Mr. Tipdin!

I decided to stay out of any controversial subjects for the near future, and I AM trying to do that!

Would a *hug* be "politically incorrect"?

I certainly hope not. And actually, I don't even care. *hugging Tipdin* P!

[Hoskins]

I am a pro-cell phone person. In college, if you don't constantly have your cell phone on you, you miss out on a lot of stuff. Plus it's my primary means of communication so I'm constantly using, checking, talking, texting, or checking to see if I got a text on it. I carry it around with me religiously and when I forget it, I always have to go back and get it. Don't want to miss out on anything.

 

Do you do this in class, at a library, or at a dinner?

[DragonFire]

I'm definatly one of those people who is NEVER without his phone!

 

The only time I switch it off is at the cinema or when I forget to charge the damn thing & the battery runs out. Then I get all antsy. lol

Seriously though I wouldn't be without it, I like being in touch with friends etc 24/7 either via text or mail, sad I know, but a fact of life no less. I agree that when you're out for dinner it is kinda rude to have your phone on.. that's why silent & vibrate was invented.

[Agaith]

I always carry my phone around me because my parents have always drilled it into me to carry it so they could stay in touch.

There's nothing wrong in my opinion of heavy usage of a mobile phone, because we live in an age where everyone likes to stay connected.

Nevertheless I have been taught manners by my parents so I dont blatently talk loudly on the phone around other people and my lecturers go ape shit about mobile phones at my university so I dont and never would bother using it during lectures.

[Westie]

Well, I am of course an iPhone user.

[TrevorTime]

I love my cell, I won't leave the house without it. But I probably do more texting on it than actual talking.

 

And I find that it's a great "barrier" if I encounter someone that I really don't want to talk to. I just pretend to call someone really quick and that phone is pressed to my ear in a mere nano-second. That scheme has only failed me once, but I dropped my arm and shouted "can't you see I'm on the ####-ing phone?". I guess it's a good thing that it was a fake phone call.