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Message started by Goose on 11/09/10 at 00:10:15

Title: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Goose on 11/09/10 at 00:10:15

This is a very interesting sociological question to pose these days. Why is everyone always on their phone?

I was in my friend's basement a few weeks ago. There were 10 of us there, and every single one of us had a blackberry. Why?

You go out and you see four people sitting at a table at a fastfood place... ALL on their phone. They're not even talking to each other? What is wrong with the world?

This ad sums it up very well imo;

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak[/media]

I'm not saying this Windows Phone will actually save the world from phones, but at least it recognizes the problems. The irony here is that this phone will probably only add to the problems in the world regarding phones.

EVERYONE is always on their phone... yet ironically again, it is making us less able to communicate. There is no emotion involved in texting and bbming and whateverMing. We are becoming robots.

Not only this, the UN recently issued a call for all countries to ban texting while driving because it is more dangerous than driving drunk and these days it actually causes more accidents & deaths.

Quote:

A 2009 experiment with Car and Driver magazine editor Eddie Alterman that took place at a deserted air strip showed that texting while driving had a greater impact on safety than driving drunk. While legally drunk, Alterman's stopping distance from 70 mph increased by 4 feet; by contrast, reading an e-mail added 36 feet, and sending a text added 70 feet.[1]

Possibly the most frightening figure in all this discussion is this;

Quote:

By the end of 2009, only 20 years later, the number of mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide reached approximately 4.6 billion, 370 times the 1990 number, penetrating the developing economies and reaching the bottom of the economic pyramid.[4]

It is a problem that is truly taking over the world. 4.6billion. That means people who live off of $1000/year in Africa are on cell phones instead of talking with the same problems we have here. We are slowly forgetting about AIDS, poverty, war, famine and all that shit, and only starting to care about "OMG LOL BARBIE SENT ME THIS SEXT LOOK AT HER BEWBS!!!111"

It really saddens me to see the world has degenerated this far. I for one am unsubscribing to my mobile service provider and boycotting all usage of cellular phones.

I am posting this on all forums of which I am a member and I hope you guys follow me in my protest.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by The Gaff on 11/09/10 at 01:39:11

Quote:

There is no emotion involved in texting and bbming and whateverMing.

What a retarded thing to say. Of course you can text/type with emotion, we all do it here, there is no difference when doing it on bbm or text. Maybe you should think or put more effort into what you write.

The reason people are always on their phones is pretty simple. Firstly its not just a phone anymore. Its a multimedia device. Alot of people have been listening to walkmans/portable cd players, mp3 players for years (which is kinda anti social) and you've never battered an eye lid.. This functionality is no in a phone. You can also now go online with most phones which means you can browse the net/check your facebook etc.. this is both great for "social" interactivity and communication. Phones also have email which means you can work almost 24/7 if you want too. And in a world which is becoming more and more competitive in the business world, working out of hours on your device is almost becoming the norm. Finally phones are now becoming gaming devices, the Iphone has set the trend after the appaulling Ngage and even ive got a snes emulator on my n900.. that eats up time (oh and Angry Birds!)

Price also plays a part, people feel like they're getting more value for money. Rates are continually reducing or you are getting more for your money (download speed/mb usage) which entices people to use the services more.

I work in telecoms, if everyone stopped then i'd lose my job. However, with 9million new mobile subscribers a month in India I think it'll be a while before Ryans ideology becomes a reality :)

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Goose on 11/09/10 at 01:58:40

So you're a little corporate bitch. Nice.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by The Gaff on 11/09/10 at 02:18:22

604848544215270 wrote:

So you're a little corporate bitch. Nice.

I do it to pay my way. I have also done graffiti for 15 years.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Zarkov on 11/09/10 at 02:21:29

An example of Toms work. (note the emotion in the text)

http://pics.blameitonthevoices.com/062009/graffiti_fail.jpg

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by The Gaff on 11/09/10 at 02:27:21

lol

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Neo, the Roger Federer of SMK on 11/09/10 at 11:24:26

You made my day, Clarky :)

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Patricio on 11/09/10 at 11:50:35

I have to agree with Goose on this one. Walking down halls in school, in traffic, sometimes with friends people just stare at their phones.

If you're ever in traffic look at the other people, tons of them are just looking at their phones or talking on them. People can't put them down for a second.

and think smart phones are just being introduced now and people are already addicting to texting. Just imagine what our kids will be like.

I've had one of my friends come over before and he hadn't seen my other friend for months. All he did while he was over was BBM his girlfriend.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by ALAKTORN on 11/09/10 at 11:58:04

nice troll Goose

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by MVT on 11/09/10 at 12:36:50

I actually agree with Goose, whether he is trolling or not. Phones are way overused.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by KVD on 11/09/10 at 12:41:50

Jerry nails the issue here:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYDA7__znfY&feature=related[/media]

And here (though there's some overlap with other vid)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVlWcU5J71Y[/media]

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Camster on 11/09/10 at 12:48:31

0D2525392F784A0 wrote:

Why is everyone always on their phone?

Cause they're more important than you

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Aron Langerak on 11/09/10 at 13:27:03

I agree so much with Goose, I can't even describe it.. Everybody is always busy with their phone, half of the time you speak with a person you are actually talking to a phone in front of the face of the other... disgusting ;)

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by cutz22 on 11/09/10 at 14:11:36

'Nother seven page thread incoming? [smiley=roll.gif]

lol Goose

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Ivootjes on 11/09/10 at 14:14:12

Don't really agree. It's just the boring people that are always obsessed with their phones. When i go out with buddies i usually don't touch my phone a lot.

If i'm alone and bored i'll use my phone all the time. What's wrong with sitting in the train, reading the news on your phone?

I use my phone for: calling, texting, news, internet, checking my stocks, google maps, navigation, email, foursquare etc etc.

Great device :P

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by AlexPenev on 11/09/10 at 14:56:47

I think a lot (not all) people just find it easier to appear to be busy, rather than appear to not-be-busy, because if they're not talking to you and are not busy they will look awkward and antisocial, so they prefer to look busy instead so that you won't think they're antisocial.
Some people, of course, are simply just bored and want to play tetris/sudoku/etc. rather than stare blankly into space.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by IsThatAGoodTime on 11/09/10 at 16:01:52

I guess from now on I'll avoid carrying my phone with me in social situations. That way I can have an excuse for staring off into space.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Patricio on 11/09/10 at 17:58:57

here is a good example:

In class today we got invited to the auditorium to watch a special film that this guy made and he was there and introduced himself.

During the film, the girl next to me is bored so every 30 seconds or so she would take her phone out, look at it then put it away. This went on for the whole film so every 30 seconds I had to have this girls phone shining in my eyes and distracting me.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Goose on 11/09/10 at 19:10:38

Yeah Patricio, exactly. And even if the film wasn't that interesting, it was probably more interesting than her blank phone every 30 seconds.

Even if it wasn't blank she was probably texting some guy who is in her friendzone when he wants to sex her, or texting her friend about a similar situation.

What a waste of life. Girls should be banned from having cell phones until they are 25 years old.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Saint Nicholas on 11/09/10 at 22:14:44

I don't even have a cell phone. I don't want one. I'm not going to be spoiled by technology the way most of my generation has become. I'm really not that old but I remember a time when practically every business had a pay phone if you really wanted to make a call while out and about. You know that one of these days, something is bound to happen with the earth's magnetic field or whatnot, and nobody's cell phones will work? Most of you would feel like you just had a hand cut off. Not me.

Hell, I feel spoiled enough with dial-up internet and a Wii game console that I've never, ever connected to said internet. [smiley=bath.gif]

(It's a damn game console. Who needs a game console for weather forecasts. That's what the Weather Channel is for. And failing cable television, there's the local television station, and failing television, there's the newspaper. This generation doesn't fucking realize how EASY they fucking have it. My grandmother grew up having a dirt floor, no plumbing, hell, no electricity.)

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Goose on 11/09/10 at 22:32:26

in fairness dirt floors are pretty easy because you dont need to sweep them or mop them.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Neo, the Roger Federer of SMK on 11/10/10 at 00:44:14

I don't have a cellphone because God doesn't want us to have one.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by DarkRoy on 11/10/10 at 05:52:24

16313B303734392B0710392A2E3D21580 wrote:

You know that someday, the Sun will explode and the Earth will no longer exist?
And do you know 100 years ago they didn't have any fastfood?
And do you know 500 years ago there wasn't any United States of America?
And do you know you didn't exist around 30 years ago?
And do you know it's way faster and cheaper to have a cellphone than to use pay phones, and the cellphone is generally faster and cheaper to do many things that were done more slowly and more expensively in the past?

Does all this make any new thing shit just because... it's new?

Title: I only have one because it's part of my job in IT
Post by David Wonn on 11/10/10 at 07:42:07

If I weren't paid to carry one for work purposes, I likely wouldn't have a cell phone other than for emergencies. Living in the Bermuda Triangle of the Midwest makes it impractical for much personal use anyway.

I agree that they are overused, although they do have their uses in moderation (read - not while driving!) If I'm out and about, I typically don't want to be near a phone, frankly. Chances are 99.9% likely that anything "requiring" a phone can wait until I get home. Actually I don't want to be near a phone at home either, but that simply cannot be avoided.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Ivootjes on 11/10/10 at 08:00:31

77505A515655584A6671584B4F5C40390 wrote:

Maybe you should move to mongolia harvey.

I heard there's no electricity over there, must be heaven.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Patricio on 11/10/10 at 08:12:00

I would never want just payphones back. Payphones suck, first of all you need quarters. And then once you call if someone doesn't pick up then you're screwed.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Detective Spril on 11/10/10 at 18:54:48

6C4B414A4D4E43517D6A435054475B220 wrote:

Yea, I remember a time when no one was driving while being distracted by calling/texting on a cellphone (which seems like an eternity ago but tbh it's been like 10 years since people really started having cellphones. I remember when my first stepdad had a car phone; I felt like I was in an episode of the Jetsons or something.). I'm not a huge fan of cellphones, although I do have one out of necessity. (I live 3 hours from my family and friends, and with semi-regular drives home, if I get stranded in the mountains, I need to be able to make a phone call to get help.) My friends thought I was insane the two years I voluntarily went without a cellphone, although not having a phone actually was really nice.

I don't get why people insist on being glued to their phones or why we need all kinds of apps for everything on phones. Yes, it may make things more convenient, but I think in a way the convenience of finding information dumbs people down. (Example: I don't know that many people my age that can properly use a map to get somewhere or read road signs and get where they need to go without use of Mapquest/Google Maps/phone apps.) I think for me, it's a combination of being raised by my grandparents and currently working in a library (seriously the best job I've ever had, I love it!) that gives me so much more appreciation for pre-technology ways of communication/information seeking.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by KoopZ on 11/11/10 at 10:54:25

i like having one, dont get me wrong, but i honestly believe i could live without one too.

goose, i highly doubt you will actually discontinue your subscription to whatever service you have. that made me lol more than anything else in this thread.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Chuck Foster on 11/11/10 at 15:57:00

674A435E7643484350260 wrote:

I very much agree with this.

I was the last of my friends to get one, but now I own a very simple cell phone for which I buy prepaid minutes. It's just a phone with a couple VERY basic little games. There's no camera or internet or touch screen or anything like that. Money is really the reason I don't have a fancy one, though. I do refuse to talk on my phone while driving unless I suspect there could be an emergency. I get irritated when I see others talking/texting on phones while driving.

I think that asking everyone to cancel their service is ridiculous. While cell phones do have drawbacks, they provide a tremendous amount of help to us during emergencies and other inconvenient situations (like your car dying).

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by cutz22 on 11/11/10 at 17:35:28

2925253A393E2F384A0 wrote:

goose, i highly doubt you will actually discontinue your subscription to whatever service you have. that made me lol more than anything else in this thread.

Nah, definitely Harvey's post. Funniest rant I've heard in a while.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Adam on 11/13/10 at 05:42:43

If you choose not to have a phone, you are anti-social.

If you would prefer not to have a phone but do out of necessity, get rid of it because you're not going to use it because you're an anti-social freak.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by Timothy on 11/13/10 at 05:47:49

To me they're just extremely convenient. I have a crappy flip Samsung phone about seven years old which still works fine and I pay £10 a month for unlimited texts and 300 minutes. I can't understand these £30+ iphone contracts... seems like an appearances/popularity thing a lot of the time.

Title: Re: Why are people always on their phones?
Post by ROM on 11/14/10 at 15:27:26

I don't mind about people spending time on their phone, however i complain about what phones have become. In the company i'm working on, everybody has either a blackberry or an Iphone, and people spend their time comparing the applications they just downloaded and so on (although its true that blackberry are useful for the daily work)...I'm like the only one who kept my old phone [smiley=lolk.gif]