When did it become acceptable to take calls in public?

Question

I do not own a cell phone and most likely never will. I find it atrocious the way that people flip them open and start discussing the most intensely personal things in a very public sort of way. I was raised to excuse myself and take the call in another room. When life became modern enough, I had an answering machine installed to accept the calls when I had guests. I find it unconscionably rude to be talking on the phone when one has company. Many of my own friends behave this way and I let them know that I find it objectionable. Do manners have to go out the window just because of technology? I would beat my children senseless if they flipped open a cell phone at the dinner table. It's like watching television during dinner. Uncivilized and socially unacceptable. I think its time that we put cell phone behavior back on the hook. How do you deal with this boorish behavior?

Answer 1

I agree with you, i detroyed my cell phone for that very reason...

Answer 2

I agree . Cell phones are dangerious for us all. People can not talk on a phone and drive safely at the same Time.
When i wa sin college the first rule was no cell phones. people would iognore the rules. I would have made them leave it home of skip class.
I remember when it was only cb radios and than the cb which looked like a regular at&t phone came out,(I brought one) . The next thing you know there were people riding around in their cars with an old AT&T phone in their car talking away to know one trying to act like they were on a mobile.
This one guy 30 yrs old and the idiot would pick it up every time he came to a redlight. YOu could se it was a regular phone hooked ot nothing.
Many people do that now, especially some of the kids with their minutes ran out. It's like a disease.
Now you have the people who walk around looking like they got a huge hearing aid in their ear and it's a cell phone speaker. You see people walking around all of the time who are on one but look and act like they are talking to an invisible person.
It isn't far into the future(you'll began to se it in 10 yrs) when yuor phone will be just under your skin as well as the speaker and you can do it all in your head with out voice . That is on it''s way.

Answer 3

In comedy anything is fair game. I mean have you ever seen South Park or any Seth MacFarlane show or a Chris Rock standup routine? If it offends you, then don't watch, and don't take yourself so seriously, life is more manageable if you can laugh at your own faults, I have mild OCD, and I thought Monk was a very funny show. " There is absolutely nothing judgmental in recognizing someone with disabilities" Actually there is. You see if the disability was the only thing that causes you to recognize someone, then fundamentally you're being judgmental, because otherwise that person wouldn't have been recognized.

Answer 4

It happened when technology took over the world. I understand about not at the dinner table, I will ignore calls if I'm at a restauraunt b/c i find it rude to ignore my date or other person I'm eating with-not to mention annoying to fellow diners, but I use mine in public a lot cuz I see things that people might want, or I may be trying to find some thing or well a million different reasons, please don't come and beat me senceless!

Answer 5

I understand in a sense where you are coming from that it can be unacceptable to just flip open a phone and just start talking in front of everybody, such as, if you are in a meeting or with company and your phone rings and you just pick it up and start talking and not even saying that you will call them back or just not answering at all. But hey, this is 2007. People will not put a cellphone down even if you yell at them until you are blue in the face. You just grew up a different way and you can't just go around telling people they can't do something because you don't like it. Just ignore it, and if you don't want your children to be flipping open a cellphone, then don't give them one.

Answer 6

It really isn't that big of a deal. If you don't want to hear a person talking on their cell phone, walk away. Sure, people can use them at inappropriate times, but part of owning a cell phone is convenience. Not everyone can wait until they get home to receive their messages. It's nothing to slap your children senseless over. Learn to live with it, manners aren't everything.

Answer 7

It's never been acceptable, people just do it because they are arrogant and inconsiderate.

Most people talking on phones in public are just miming while holding the handset to their ear anyway.

In Australia it is illegal to talk on a handheld mobile/cell. So what I do is beep my horns if I see someone talking on a handheld so the person on the other end of the phone thinks that the person they are talking to nearly caused an accident talking on the phone.

Answer 8

The only thing worse than those who find it necessary to speak on their cell phones during a dinner or an quiet gathering, are those who talk on speaker phones or as loud as speaker phones. These types are self consumed and somewhat in a state of retard (slowness) to understand that there is other people on the planet who've got just as much right (maybe more) to NOT hear what they are so intent on hearing.

May I digress to explain that my husband is in a position with his company that his IMMEDIATE attention is needed at any hour of the day. There are 2 particular times that he turns his phone OFF from calls to drop straight to voice mail. 1.) Dinner (each night as our little family gathers) 2. In the bathroom (yes, I've heard women talking on their cell phones in the can!) These are times whoever is calling can wait at least that long for a response.

Answer 9

Unfortunately society has become more dependent on technology more than we want to see but it is what it is. I do find it annoying when someone gets a call in public and they don't at the very least step away and take care of their calls. When some lady is behind you in line on the phone complaining to her girlfriend that her husband doesn't put the seat down after he pees is just absolutely annoying.

Answer 10

I think it is the fault of the Phil Donahue, Oprah, Jerry Springer generation. It has become acceptable to air even your deepest secrets in public. Privacy and good manners seem to be disappearing

Answer 11

I don't see it as being any different from a person having a conversation with another person that is present. Well, one difference is you don't have to hear the other person. I don't own a cell, but I don't see why it bothers people either.