Cell phone mania

[JaiDee]

 Anyone here above the age of 25 or so will remember the good ol' days when people actually, you know, had human interaction with one another?  Before practically everyone in the world had a smartphone?

 

    It was kinda nice. Having a smartphone sure is handy - except for the fact that here in the USA they really, really suck badly and the coverage is beyond laughable - as you can stay in touch with people and check stocks, surf the internet away from home, get GPS directions, etc.....  But it seems like for all we have gained we have given up so much.

 

   Must be nice for high school kids though; remember the days when you actually had to call some young girls house and get past her Dad? Also the nerves it took to actually ask girls out and court them?  These days all the kids need is a Facebook account and a smartphone to flirt with girls, so much easier.

 

 

  The pics below are representative of pretty much the whole world today, even in a lot of 3rd world countries. People gawking into their phones, walking into traffic, driving and texting, ignoring other people and their friends, etc.....it's kind of sad to see, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't use one so I am as guilty as the next guy or gal.

[strocube]

Of course, I have one, but you know, I am not fucking tethered to the damn thing. I do not look at it all the time, especially when I am actually interacting with people.

Usually I come home from work, plug it to charge and forget about it completely until the next morning.

[KenW]

I own a cell phone, not smart, cheap old fashioned kind with menus to click on, no finger flick screen changing.

 

But I don't keep it paid up. It sits idle in my desk drawer.

 

When I go to Pattaya or Phnom Penh I take it, buy a sim and stay in touch with mates and some boys re meeting up. At sojourn's end I bring it back home here and dump it in the drawer again.

[xyzzy]

Must be nice for high school kids though; remember the days when you actually had to call some young girls house and get past her Dad?

OTOH now your parents could know where you are all the time and call you at any time. Remembering my misspent youth that wouldn't have worked out so well. 

[JaiDee]

But those were also the days when our parents sent us out to play and didn't expect us back until it was dark; good or bad it taught us to be independent and learn human interaction with other children.

 

These days it seems like every kid has their head buried in a PC, a tablet, their cell phone or some video game.

 

Or all four.

[4:17]

I'm gonna play devil's advocate and take the piss at the same time; between this thread and the Has it become too mainstream? thread, it's like this has become the old fogeys' forum (while LBP is the youngster's whiney wanna be pugilistic troll forum).

 

When did you guys all turn into Jimbo?

 

"Kids today with their cell phones, and their Internets. Why back in my day ... "

 

Mobile phones are actually having a tremendously positive impact in the third world where there is no wired telephone infrastructure, enabling everything from micro-transactions for small businesses, to banking to aiding emergency services. Not to mention providing Internet access, and consequently access to news and information -- to those who would not otherwise have it. 

 

While there are downsides to this, such as the environmental impact of used electronics, I'm guessing most people would rather have their phones than not.

 

Generations back people said the same thing about technology we take for granted, be it cars or televisions or microwave ovens. I'm sure there was a cranky cave man hundreds of thousands of years ago bitching about his kids and their friends.

 

"Bah, Kids today with their fire and their agriculture. Spoiled rotten pussies. Back in my day, we just huddled together for warmth and that was good enough. And we just gnawed flesh right on the bone. We didn't need to cook it and make it soft. And we just moved when we needed to get more food! We followed the herds, we didn't grub in the earth and take care of cattle like pets! Bah! And these huts? For fucks sake, don't get me started about the huts! Back in my day ... "

 

I try hard not to be the cranky "Kids today" guy. Being among the first generation to grow up with computers and video games (I'll be 45 in a few months; I remember the halcyon days of the Commodore 64 and the Apple II), I used to get so sick about hearing how it was making us all a bunch of anti-social violent whack jobs.

 

I understand it though. I grew up with computer bulletin boards and online services; I remember the Internet and the World Wide Web in its infancy. And today I don't "get" social networking; think it's silly, by and large. But I try not to be judgmental about it -- try not to be that narrow minded guy -- after all, I remember my parents and their friends bitching about all the time my friends and I spent on Compuserve (while they sat in front of the TV watching Dallas and Magnum P.I.).

 

"Bah, you kids today with your Twitter and your Facebook. Back in my day, we couldn't just press a button and like something. We had to actually type out an emoticon! Do you even know what that is? Have you ever even used a physical keyboard? By God, I could speak 1337 when you were still in diapers.

 

Back in my day, we didn't have Cheezburger.com and meme generators. If we wanted to write a smartass comment on a funny cat picture, we had to load it in Aldus Pagemaker and do it ourself! Bah! And if I wanted hundreds of people I barely know to see it, I had to email it! To a disty list that I compiled myself! As an attachment! I didn't just "post" it to chuckleheadbook!"

 

It would be easy to be that guy. But the only constant in life is change; you roll with it or it passes you by.

 

 

Hope I'm not offending anyone; as I say, just being ornery and taking the piss in the interest of discussion. Hangovers will do that to a man. I may not be one of those "kids today" guys, but I am one of those guys. But you know I love you guys, right?

 

 

I'm gonna go download some episodes of Magnum P.I. via bitorrent now and revel in the Brave New World.

 

 

 

 

[bumblebee]

Haha that photo of the old boy is classic 4.  I enjoy reminiscing a fair bit, but hey i also love my Samsung Galaxy  S3.  While i could live with just a regular mobile phone while at home, with the internet deals in Los a smart phone is a great companion while traveling, chilling on the beach etc.  Ais give 20 hours for 100 B, great value.

[pdogg]

I admit there are times that a smartphone would be useful.

 

But I spend lots of time online so just having my old Nokia gives some downtime.

 

I dislike texting or talking on the phone unless it's to set up a meeting or something urgent.  I prefer PMing or emailing using my big keyboard at home.

[Tomcat]

 

 

"Kids today with their cell phones, and their Internets. Why back in my day ... "

 

 

 

The problem with progress is that its gone on for far to long , as someone once quipped. 

 

From what i read there could be problems brewing for the future with some studies actually pointing to the fact that the younger generation brains could be rewired longterm with overuse of phones and the internet and not for the better . such as attention deficit issues and so on..we will have to see how this pans out over the next five years

 

Much of the year im on the train at 8.30Am with my medium Capacino and Almond croissant to hand... why does my office often decide to phone me exactly at this point about some stupid trivia and disturb my breakfast  when they well know ill be there in 15 minutes...

[JaiDee]

I admit there are times that a smartphone would be useful.

 

But I spend lots of time online so just having my old Nokia gives some downtime.

 

I dislike texting or talking on the phone unless it's to set up a meeting or something urgent.  I prefer PMing or emailing using my big keyboard at home.

 

 Boy, we sure do agree on that one PD!   I actually hate chatting on the phone and avoid it at all costs; even my dear ol' Mum has gotten that memo, and even though we live in the same city she knows to just send me an e-mail if she needs something, my laptop is on all day and I always respond within a few hours, max.  Usually a few minutes.

 

 And since I am guilty as the rest of society and have a smartphone here [but not in Thailand, same as you I like my 7-year old Nokia which works just fine] I can even get my Gmail on my phone. Why chat about nothing when it can just be sent off in an e-mail, even when I am on the road.

 

 4:17.....I do get that it just sounds like some old codger bitching about the good ol' days, but I was out doing some errands the other day and it really struck me for some reason;  everyone out there has their heads buried in these stupid fucking devices and it's taking time away from really bonding with family and friends, enjoying nature, possibly making the younger generations socially inept, etc....It's kinda dangerous too; there were zero "texting and driving" accidents 15 years ago, now there are thousands per year. For all the progress we have made I think these things have set us back a step or two at the same time.

[Jimslim]

 everyone out there has their heads buried in these stupid fucking devices and it's taking time away from really bonding with family and friends, enjoying nature, possibly making the younger generations socially inept, etc....

 

True people should be out getting some fresh air .

[Hefe]

It's true, everyone under 40 here pretty much always has a smartphone in their hands virtually all the time, checking it every couple of minutes. Here at work a group of 3-5 of them will be sitting together silently, ignoring the people next to them as they text others or check facebook items. 

 

I've heard it's so bad that a percentage of the "millenials" now have to have counselling for things such as job interviews since they are so addicted to checking their device every few seconds that being in a situation like a job interview where you are supposed to stay focused soley on a personal interaction is foriegn to them.

 

I brought my 19 yo neice to Europe for the first time last year & I swear she spent half her time texting ignoring the new world all around her.

[JaiDee]

 

 

I brought my 19 yo neice to Europe for the first time last year & I swear she spent half her time texting ignoring the new world all around her.

 

 Super-annoying, eh Hefe?   When my daughter turned 16 a few years ago I took her to NYC for the weekend, 3 nights all told; if you haven't been there, that is fucking expensive! Well over 1500 bucks all in from start to finish.

 

     We were walking around Greenwich Village, St. Marks place, lower east side, Central park, etc....on a gorgeous fall day, and all she was doing was texting back and forth with some kids back home!  And every time I try and mention it you get the evil eye and some attitude.......as in *I* am the bad guy for saying ''you can text with these kids when we get back home, for now can't you just enjoy one of the world's most beautiful cities''??

 

    Thankfully when i took her to Europe a year earlier she had to leave the cell phone at home because of outrageous roaming charges.  I swear, these damn phones are ruining human interactions for the newer generations and they will be socially challenged their whole lives because of it.

[pacman]

I swear, these damn phones are ruining human interactions for the newer generations and they will be socially challenged their whole lives because of it.

 

These kids who are slaves to their devices are growing up without the social skills that come from normal interaction with their peers. it's a form of behavioural dysfunction where they can't ascertain body language or understand language nuances that we take for granted. They are leaving themselves vulnerable to a type of naivety rarely seen. Not in these numbers at least. 

 

I wouldn't particularly care except for the thought that occurs to me that one could find themself in court with a bunch of these retards sitting on the jury trying to decide your fate. In my experience from having employed some of these kids, they have an almost unique ability to misjudge & misunderstand motivations & consequences nearly every single time. It is scary how dumb they are. Even those who go onto tertiary education are immature. Just not as many thank god.

 

A related anecdote: a mother I know was working in a shopping centre on a Saturday while her 14yo daughter walked around waiting for her to finish. To stop daughter's complaints of being bored, Mum gave her 50 dollars for phone credit. That bought a lot of texts & daughter was very happy. At the end of the day the daughter was waiting for Mum who asked her to ring home. She couldn't. No more credit. She had used 50 bucks of credit talking to her friend all day.

 

And where was her friend? She was walking around the same shopping centre! Clueless! 

[seven]

These kids who are slaves to their devices are growing up

 Dammit paccers, i know we are old but....

 

a friend of mine had an accident in the in the middle of nowhere. He was knocked unconscious, but came to a few minutes later and was able to call for help on his mobile phone. Both his legs were crushed under a tree.

Damn the new technology!

 

 

I do agree though. I recently spotted a person facebooking at a funeral service. Not cool

[SiamSam]

Old men have cursed, grumped and complained about new technology forever. I remember my grandfather refusing to allow my father to bring a television into the house. Apparently he had the same problem with the telephone and central heating. After my grandfather died my father took over the tradition by refusing to have cable television programming installed along with a second phone in the house. I suppose I will soon be doing the same. Or perhaps I have started already. 

[pacman]

 Dammit paccers, i know we are old but....

 

Yes mate, there's always two sides to the story & I never go anywhere without my phone. I also want to stay connected. Standing in line at the bank or the PO I am always checking emails, etc. But I also know to live in the moment & when to leave the damn thing in my pocket. The young I am complaining about are missing so much because they literally can't stay off the thing for a minute.

 

There's some new disorder* that's been diagnosed akin to a panic reaction when these kids lose their phone or don't have credit. Imagine them in a crisis when they need to take decisive action - they'll be standing there googling what to do when they should be running for their lives. They really are hopeless.

 

*That disorder is Nomophobia - fear of being out of mobile phone contact. 

[BackdoorSpecialist]

How's this for a superb idea when you are out with friends??

 

I suppose it would work in restaurants but not pubs as you could get you phone stolen!

 

Be interesting to see how long it would take for someone to check their phone.

 

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate/2012/01/stack_your_phones_bitches_or_b.php

 

BD

[Jimslim]

In general they are a fantastic invention but lets not forget we got by pretty well for millions of years without them .

 

What annoys me is when you are out socially and someone is fumbling with their phone when you are trying to have a conversation .

 

I also see lines of people walking through the city centre every day with their heads buried in their phones like robots 

 

Just last week a girl stepped out in front of me at a junction whilst I was cycling home from work , yes you guessed it - texting on her phone , luckily I braked in time and missed her .

[JaiDee]

 

 

What annoys me is when you are out socially and someone is fumbling with their phone when you are trying to have a conversation .

 

I also see lines of people walking through the city centre every day with their heads buried in their phones like robots 

 

 

 

  The 2 main reasons I hate the things.