Phone etiquette

slowburner

Am I an old fuddy duddy for thinking that the person in my company takes precedence over the caller?
I believe that the person who has made the effort to be physically present deserves more attention than the person who communicates remotely.
I was in the house of someone who had been bereaved that day and the number of people, young and not so young, who were transfixed by their phones rather than offering distraction in the form of conversation shocked me.
Seems to me that nowadays people find it perfectly acceptable to remove themselves from a conversation and huddle over their smart phones or whatever.
And what exactly are they doing any way? Hiding?

Ophiopogon

Yes I would be the same,it drives me insane when I would be talking to someone and they are txting at the same time.

I do have a few friends who would be skilled at carrying on a conversation while txting but the majority will stop mid sentence to txt and resume talking like nothing has happened. I now say it straight to them that I do not apprerciate it but mostly this does not work anyway.

I wouldn't mind if it was actually important or even urgent work but I know mostly it just small talk txting.

I used to work in retail as well and alot of people stay on their phone while you are serving them.

It is beyond rude and I will end up avoiding people who this excessively.

slowburner

Ophiopogon wrote: »

Yes I would be the same,it drives me insane when I would be talking to someone and they are txting at the same time.

I do have a few friends who would be skilled at carrying on a conversation while txting but the majority will stop mid sentence to txt and resume talking like nothing has happened. I now say it straight to them that I do not apprerciate it but mostly this does not work anyway.

I wouldn't mind if it was actually important or even urgent work but I know mostly it just small talk txting.

I used to work in retail as well and alot of people stay on their phone while you are serving them.

It is beyond rude and I will end up avoiding people who this excessively.

Delighted someone had the guts to say it to the txt offenders - even if it had no effect.

Cianos

I never answer texts in someone's company unless it's important, then I'll excuse myself for doing so. This often means I totally forget about the text I received and then people complain that I don't reply quick enough!

The Princess Bride

slowburner wrote: »

I believe that the person who has made the effort to be physically present deserves more attention than the person who communicates remotely.

I agree 100% with you.This problem annoys me so much-people don't seem capable of physically going anywhere unless they have their mobile surgically attached to either their palm or ear.

If I'm in company,and my phone rings/text alert- I ignore it. Nothing is ever so important that it can't wait.I wish others were as respectful to me- there are so many ways to communicate nowadays,but nobody wants to do it properly and 1 to 1 rather than 1 to dozens!!!!

Again- I don't know whether I feel this way because I grew up without phone (how did I survive:rolleyes:) or because of common courtesy.

slowburner

Wouldn't it be nice to have a 'No Mobile Phones Day', once a year? We might rediscover things like making an appointment and sticking to it. We might remember how to write a letter. We might even remember how to write.

Without doubt, we are losing a whole range of skills by our constant use of these devices. Spelling, time keeping, grammar, punctuation - appreciation of their value is gradually slipping away.
I wonder when the first novel completely written in txt will be written.

There's a thing: the handwritten letter - when's the last time you wrote one or received one and doesn't it tell you so much more than a txt?

Isn't it important that we should acknowledge the greater importance of the person present over the person who is communicating via a plastic and metal box?

Fittle

I didn't think I was an old fuddy-duddy, but I totally agree with you on the mobile phone thing!

I was at Dublin Airport last year and there was an Irish soccer team (Juniors, U16s I'd say) obviously heading off to some match abroad. They were all in their Irish tracksuits and I was pointing out to my lad how proud they must be to be going off, representing their country abroad and that someday, he might be in the same position;).

There were about 25 of them in the squad - and AT LEAST 20 of them were on their phones texting someone else!!! Few of them were talking to each other, it seemed to be like none of them could live in the 'now' and all preferred to text other people, rather than share their moment of glory with those who were actually physically present.

I've remembered this situation, as it really stood out in my mind (possibly because it was so obvious that all those boys were in each others company as they were wearing the same clothes!)...

slowburner

You've really put your finger on what it is about texting that is so anti-social - not living in the now.

stargazer 68

Drives me nuts!! If my company is not good enough for you then don't come out with me! People posting on facebook while you are out with them too does my head in!! :mad:

The Princess Bride

slowburner wrote: »

We might remember how to write a letter.

There's a thing: the handwritten letter - when's the last time you wrote one or received one and doesn't it tell you so much more than a txt?

My mother is in 70s and writes to her sisters in UK weekly. My dad (77)loves to skype & send cryptic texts-so cryptic that I have to ring him to decipher them:o
Back to phone rant.
-I've been at a few funerals this year, and mobiles have zinged, zanged and beeped at all of them.How rude and disrespectful is that?Is turning it off for 40minutes too much to ask?
Bottom line-if we tolerate this behaviour,it will continue.

slowburner

msthe80s wrote: »

My mother is in 70s and writes to her sisters in UK weekly. My dad (77)loves to skype & send cryptic texts-so cryptic that I have to ring him to decipher them:o
Back to phone rant.
-I've been at a few funerals this year, and mobiles have zinged, zanged and beeped at all of them.How rude and disrespectful is that?Is turning it off for 40minutes too much to ask?
Bottom line-if we tolerate this behaviour,it will continue.

The good thing about letters is that you are forced to think before you write - no spell checkers or predictive text to numb the brain. However, I must confess to not having written a proper letter in yonks.
Hands up all those who know when 'Yours faithfully' and 'Yours sincerely' should be used

I think we also have a duty to keep the postman busy. They are a much needed part of the fabric of rural society and maybe urban too.