Put the Cell Phone Down... Please

[Easto]

Last week I took our car in for some minor routine maintenance. The dealership was so close to the local mall I asked my wife if she would like to go shopping while we waited for a text to let us know the car was ready. Usually, I wouldn't trek through the mall. But since this trip was basically for my wife's pleasure, I sucked it up and followed her everywhere she wanted to go. I waited patiently and then asked if she was sure that what she looking at was something she wanted, and then bought it for her. This trip was for her. Yeah, sometimes I can be a nice guy.


But, what struck me the most while at the mall was how many people are walking around staring at their phones. I mean, it was incredible. At one poing we walked by a young girl, maybe 11 or 12 years old, walking with her parents and taking a selfie. She was even doing the whole "kissy face, hair flung back thing", obviously trying to impress someone. It appeared that going to the mall for most people was just an excuse to go and use their phones somewhere else.


Speaking of "an excuse to go and use their phones somewhere else"... a week later the wife and I went to Knott's Berry Farm. You would think people would be more caught up in the excitement of just being there rather than having some sort of urge to tell everyone they know that they are there. Ninety percent of the kids under what I would say was 18 years old had a phone in there hands at all times. Hell, I left mine in the car. Who the heck do I care about talking to or hearing from, I'm going to Knott's!


People, put your phones down and enjoy life.

[Philip]

When you started your post with your car, my initial though was a distracted driver hit it or something of the sort.. glad I was wrong.

On topic, you are right. Smart phones and apps have taken over teen's lives and are constant/repeated attention distractions. That's what all tech companies are competing for, your attention. It will continue forward imho, with the advances in AR/VR (augmented reality, virtual reality), AI, machine learning, smart homes, smart speakers, etc.

I absolutely agree with you that people should be able to put down their phone, it costs us time, it fragments our attention, and maybe has some other cognitive side-effects that are not well studied yet, i.e. people are using devices to supplement actual thinking/memory/knowledge, etc.

[Easto]

I guess my first paragraph was a little off topic. I was using it to lead into the REAL story.

[YARDofSTUF]

I still don't own a smart phone, its funny when people that are on them constantly find out and are like.... how do you do things?

What annoys me most is if I'm out at a restaurant and people at my table spend their time with their head down staring at their phone. Its like hey, we decided to go out to dinner as a group, so why the **** did you come if you don't want to be part of the group?

Its way too common. People aren't getting things done either, its just constant useless chatter.

[Easto]

I basically had to read my brother the riot act a couple of years ago. He and his wife flew out from NY (we only see them about every 3 years) and as we're sitting around the house they were constantly sitting there playing with their iPads. Once I seriously told him how rude I thought that was he totally agreed and they put them away.

I also have a problem with my wife wantint to use hers a little more often than I like. We'll get into the car and she'll break it out and I politely ask her to put it away. My point to her is that we're going to be driving around and I would like her full attention as we talk. She's good about putting it away when I ask.

[TonyT]

What's even more amazing, and one of the reasons I don't use apps on my phone such as facebook, is the marketing tech being used. Many apps have access to other apps' data. If you use facebook on the phone, and walk down the mall, stop in front of ABC Shoes and you'll see an ad on the phone for ABC Shoes. These apps use your geo-location by IP address, GPS, shopping histories, etc and know where you are at all times, what stores are in your vicinity, etc. My phone is very "locked down" with all the apps I never use uninstalled or disabled.

[nwrickert]

But, what struck me the most while at the mall was how many people are walking around staring at their phones. I mean, it was incredible.

Yes, I often notice that.

For me, my cell phone is usually in my pocket. I'll only take it out if I hear it ring.

At one poing we walked by a young girl, maybe 11 or 12 years old, walking with her parents and taking a selfie.

To be fair, when I was that age, I hated being taken shopping, because it was so boring. I guess the young girl now has a way of reducing that boredom.

People, put your phones down and enjoy life.

For some folk, using their cell phone is part of how they enjoy life.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yup these days kids look, and interact with the world, through the eyes...err..."lens and screen"..of their cell phone. The real world is disappearing. Communicating with other people face to face..that's a thing of the past. You'll see kids on the couch next to each other..not speaking..but texting to each other.

[Easto]

We've been having my wife's grandchildren coming over quite a lot lately (weekends). Their parents are broke, so at home they have no access to wifi, Netflix, cable or anything else like that. As soon as they get to our house they're asking me for the wifi password and then they each go to their own corner of the house and stare at a screen for the whole weekend. I don't know what they get away with at home but I immediately let them know that there are no "screens" allowed at the dinner table. I don't know if they get away with that at home or not, but it ain't happening here. We try and get them all in bed at a reasonable time but I can tell from my wifi logs that a couple of them are still online late into the night and the next morning. I now have my router shut down the guest wifi at 10pm and they are just out of luck. I just tell them it's broke and I'll check it in the morning.

What's weird to me is that we have a garage full of bicycles, a major regional park 1/4 mile from the house and they still show absolutely no interest in doing anything physical. My wife will always drag them over to the park for a 2 mile walk each weekend no matter how much they complain. What else I find amusing is that my 56 year old wife is in better shape that then 18 y/o girl and the 15 y/o boy. There is no way in the world that a 56 y/o woman should be able to... out walk, run or bike at 15 y/o boy. When I was 15 we took the presidential physical fitness test. All the guys in my class would try and see who could do 60 sit-ups in 1 minute. I honestly don't think this kid could to 10 in one minute.

I'll rant some more once I catch my breath.

[Humboldt]

I finally got my first cell phone a few months ago.

In my pocket unless I need to make a call or, if by myself unwinding at the bar and browsing.

Maybe a quick text and back in the pocket (or under my baseball hat on the table with my wallet and keys).

I too am blown away by the number of 2+ person tables where everyone is on their phone instead of talking with each other.

Tired of almost hitting people crossing the street while staring at their phones, trying to maneuver around shoppers parked in the middle of the aisle staring at their phones, customers chatting on loudspeaker while walking my store or being rung out at the register and holding everyone up before getting annoyed at being reminded to insert their damn cc in the terminal before it times out and we have to start all over.

Of drivers with their phone tucked behind their ear or texting at stoplights, and of waiting in line behind someone on their phone only for them to have to order and wondering what the f*ck they want.

Common sense, people, common f*cking sense.

Whether for safety or consideration, be aware of what's going on around you, and get the hell out of the way if you're in a walking zone for a store or crosswalk or doorway!

[Lefty]

Yup these days kids look, and interact with the world, through the eyes...err..."lens and screen"..of their cell phone. The real world is disappearing. Communicating with other people face to face..that's a thing of the past. You'll see kids on the couch next to each other..not speaking..but texting to each other.

I'll text you in a minute....

[Lefty]

My biggest beef with them is when the sidewalks are safe to walk on I like to walk to work. One its like have a strong coffee I get there nice and ready to jump right in, but at minimum of twice a week I am almost hit by a distracted driver. MINIMUM!!! Damn

[Easto]

As far as I know there is no real way to disable certain functions on a phone while you're driving. For instance, if they regulate that if you're moving more than 15 mph anywhere, certain functions will be disabled. But... I'm sure something is being worked on that will know whether you're the driver and couple that to your phone, thus disabling certain features. I'd vote for that in a minute.

The other thing that amazed me is that virtually every car built within the late 5 - 10 years has onboard bluetooth. I can control all my phone functions from my steering wheel. Hasn't the rest of the driving population discovered this function yet?

[jeremyboycool]

Technology is always changing the world, that has been true since we started using fire and stone tools. It is bound to change things a lot more, humans are a creature of technological advancement, and it would be really interesting to see where that leads.

But there are worst thing kids could be doing than taking selfies, our history is littered with fine examples of that.

[Philip]

There seems to be a lot of buzz around VR and AR (augmented reality) lately, like your phone/glasses recognizing your surroundings and "enhancing" them with information. GPS highlighting the building you are going to, stores showing virtual price tags/sales on items you are looking at, etc.

[MadDoctor]

Anyone want to see pictures of food I'm going to eat?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Anyone want to see pictures of food I'm going to eat?

Salami? Kielbasa?

[CableDude]

I immediately let them know that there are no "screens" allowed at the dinner table.

Amen.

[MadDoctor]

Salami? Kielbasa?

Some time has passed since I ate that road kill. Photo to follow.

[Htos1]

Same here, been on the web since '84, daily. I don't get the electronic addiction. I was "posting" selfies(old) by '92. Funny how those of us NOT enthralled by a pocket computer were bum rushed out of our decades long Enterprise IT careers JUST as "W" and 9/11 happened.