How do you think cell phones cause social problems?

Question

The idea of cell phones being a nuisance for example during formal occassions, formal dinners, meetings etc.

Answer 1

It is nauseating some times. People are rude on their phone, they talk too loud, they talk while driving which is extremely dangerous, they talk for too long, they leave the ringer on while at the movie theater, they leave their Bluetooth hanging on their ear which looks RIDICULOUS AND PATHETIC. By the way, it increases the risk of brain cancer. Totally unacceptable social behaviour. Then you have kids with cell phones, people taking unsolicited pictures of others which is an invasion of privacy. It just drives me nuts!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Same as the old 'Walkmans' hifi ....as a neighbour, you can often here the intrusive and IRRITATING 'TshTshTsh' etc coming from the headphones of the user.

Cellphone users who do not 'switch off' in the cinema, for example, can be an a pain in the backside - just as those who need to TALK AT THE TOPS OF THEIR VOICES when using their phone.

There are maybe other objections to the way people use and Where they use their phones - which others find objectionable, intrusive, ill-mannered etc.

My only other objection is some of the IRRITATINGLY 'personal choices' that some have on their phones with their child-like 'ring tones.'

If the owning of guns and the actual 'shooting of people' was not illegal, then I would give full vent to my right of 'personal choices' too.

Sash.

Answer 4

Here are some social situations that I experienced:

*My so-called best friend took me out for my birthday last year and she was on her cell phone 75% of the time in the restaurant talking about some sort of unimportant drama.

*I was at Sunday Mass and an idiot forgot to turn off his phone or put it on vibrate. When the phone rang, he answered it and walked out of church having a conversation. I was just thinking of what my old Catholic school teachers would have said.

* I was walking to my car in a grocery store parking lot when a man who was on his cell phone was backing out and almost hit me. An elderly woman noticed and screamed, "You almost hit this little girl." (I was in my twenties.) I screamed, "Why don't you watch what you're doing?" He told me to "go and 'f' myself."

Cell phones can be a great resource in case of an emergency. Didn't most of us get cell phone for emergencies? They can also be convenient, but also make us very selfish. Nobody wants to hear other people's business while shopping in a store. This conversation may be important to you, but not to others. Nobody wants to be interupted while worshipping or in a wedding, speech, etc. And also, nobody wants to be injured by a vehicle because someone was driving while talking on a cell

Answer 5

When you are out on a date or at the movies, or at a meeting it is rude to have your cell phones on or talk on the phone while you are on a date, at the movies, or a meeting. Another way a cell phone is a nuisance is when people talk on the phone and drive. Talking on the phone distracts you from paying attention. My cousin's husband almost died because someone was talking on her cell phone while driving and ran a red light. Besides when you are at an event, date ect. you should be paying attention to that person or persons.

Answer 6

I presume that the fact you refer to them as cell phones means you are not from the UK, and reading the replies it appears that it is more of a problem in America

I don't think I have witnessed any social problems as a result of mobile phone use here in blighty, they can be annoying sometimes, but generally people seem aware and sensitive to other peoples needs, like going outside of the bar to answer.

The main problem in the UK is the high rate of use by drivers, I think this is beginning to cause some anger amongst the more law abiding members of the population

Answer 7

Yes it is so irritating especially on public transport listening to (Since the volume of the voice is such that you cannot help but hear!) someone talking about the great or lousy sex that they had! People have this misconception that the microphone on the phone is not that good so they turn up the volume on their voices allowing the unfortunate to hear their side of the conversation! I also find it irritating to hear someone in the cinema talking about the film we are watching (especially if i haven't seen it) The conversation is"Oh you just ought to come and see this I have seen it x times and I like the bit where.........." Thanks I could do with knowing the plot before I get to the point in the film that they are talking about! Aaargh also to those that cannot seem to go to a restaurant and not tell half of the world their business. The cell phone dominates our lives so much that yes we want to be contactable at all times. Not me, I turn my one off when I want some peace and quiet or when I need to respect other people's desire to eat without having to hear my banter. Respect! It seems that those who are welded to their phones is something that they have lost for others as they don't respect others around them and that they want to do their thing without listening to Sally talking to Johnny about last nights sex or whatever the topic is! Have a cell phone yes, but have respect for those who you may be imposing your side of the convesation on and in certain cases try to remember where the off button is especially when you are in places like the cinema, restaurant or funeral etc!

Answer 8

I dated a man briefly who was always talking on his cell phone regardless of where we were or what we were doing. He may have been trying to impress me with how popular he was but all I felt was lonely and insulted.

It doesn't matter whether your with a group of people or just one person. If your out to dinner or in a meeting let the voice message pick up your call. Listening to a message and calling the person back is not rude. The former is.

Answer 9

At my Dad's funeral, my sister got a call on her cell phone. She's so attached to that damned thing, she forgot to turn it off.

Also, people think they can multi-task, but they're usually not nearly as good at it as they think. Being distracted by a cell phone conversation while driving puts everyone on the road at risk.

Also, people pull out their cell phones in the market and start yapping, and you're forced to listen to the trivial details of their appallingly boring lives. And of course, they're not paying attention so they're blocking the aisle or just getting in peoples way, not watching where they're going, and generally expecting everyone else to accommodate them.

Or, ever been in line, and some jerk gets to the cashier and in the middle of ordering something, they start yapping on the cell phone, holding up the rest of the people in line? And it's disrespectful to the counter person just as much as it is the other people in line. I saw a guy at the shell station tell some young woman off for it. She was offended and got really snotty, but I basically told him 'atta boy and congratulated him.

And I hate it when people come to my home to visit, and then pull out their cell phone to start yapping on it. They could turn the damned thing off for the time they're visiting with me.

Also, it's very distracting because people on cell phones tend to talk loudly, plus you get a little amplification/feedback from the phone itself. So, it's very intrusive and distracting to other people. You aren't even left in peace to think your own thoughts, because some moron is loudly debating about what sort of pizza he plans to order that night, or discussing her mother's gall bladder operation in graphic detail, or some other inappropriate/boring information that I really don't give a r-att's a*ss about.

To summarize: public cell phone usage endangers the lives of other people on the road, it inconviences other people, and it's annoying as hell when people are inconsiderate of those around them.

Answer 10

Rather than speaking with people face to face, we are further alienating ourselves. Text messaging is another step away from true human contact, and false communities are established so we can still feel as though we belong to something. Why don't we just get off our lazy behinds and actually meet with people for a chat over coffee? (on a further note, I am fully aware that communicating online also contributes to this issue ;)