Is cell phone etiquette out of control? Cell phone etiquette involves following some simple guidelines of common courtesy when using a cell phone in public, designed to make public places more enjoyable for all. It seems that simple, but I see people all the time having their cell phones out in public which is rude. It seems that over the years cell phones have taken over our major form of communication and has become a big part of our everyday lives. People have been disconnecting their house phone because they have a cell phone that can do it all.
People get text messages when they are cruising along without ever looking around to see where they are going. Easy to cause a crash due to their involvement with someone they can’t even see. It’s disgusting! A video found on YouTube, of a woman so involved in texting on the cell phone that she walked right into a water fountain head first. It is such a hilarious scene, but goes to show you how occupied she was in texting that she was not aware of the surroundings.
Who wants to hear a man in a public place get on his phone and impolitely holler “Yes, Hello, Can you hear me now.” As everyone looks back at him wondering does holler man know we don’t care what the conversation is. For some strange reason this type of person’s voice is louder than if he had a microphone. Can anyone be excited to hear about his upcoming plans for the evening in such detail?
Another cell phone incident is if you are socializing with someone and then they have to answer their phone and the group is lucky enough to sit there listening in on the whole conversation. Most of the time you do not want to hear their one sided dialogue. Then you are faced with looking for someone to talk to so you don’t have to listen in. It is hard to pretend that you are not eves dropping.
People texting at the dinner table and not interacting with the social chatter can only focus and stare down into their lap. They are so self-serving thinking their phone is the most important thing. What can be more important than the people in front of you or the person on the other end of the phone who did not bother to come in person? Can you be a friend and have a good time with others if your cell phone is the center of your universe. Since when did texting become more important than the person sitting in front of you? Has common courtesy been lost to this new technology? Asking these questions demands that a new form of manners be considered when it comes to cell phone etiquette.
So a little common sense is required along with a lot of common courtesy to focus on those around us rather than who is on our cell phones. May we all be more respectful of those in our spaces when cell phones start ringing and text messages are flooding in. Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.