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People always get very high and mighty when this subject comes up. "rabble rabble we never had phones when we were younger rabble rabble dont need em now rabble rabble".
Now I will conceded that social media is out of control however let's not pretend society is set up to not carry a phone with you. In the past if you needed a phone there were at least 3 or 4 pay phones on every block. Try finding them now. If you do happen to find one in the past you had an address book/little black book to refer to phone numbers. Do you have one? I dont. If you needed to know where you were going every gas station had road maps. Try finding them now. We used to write letters a lot and there was a mailbox on every block. Now you have to go to the post office unless you have no concerns about outgoing mail sitting in your mailbox.
Anymore the world is operating under the assumption everyone has a phone with them so leaving it at home isnt as easy as it once was.
I agree totally, and I will go one further--in CERTAIN incidents, I think the practiced cited is kind of selfish depending on the particulars. It's one thing for one to not want their boss to be bothering them frequently after-hours and for people to not expect a callback within seconds, but family/friends shouldn't have to go the entire day long and never hear back either. Not returning calls in a reasonable period of time is selfish to me.
In my case my phone isn't ringing off the hook, during the daytime it may go hours and be silent, but even so I've installed apps which help me "retreat" but for others to not be left in the lurch. I have an "autoreply" app which when switched on will respond to texts & phone calls with an "out of office autoreply" sort of message. That way during occasions such as cycling I'm not being bothered by the phone yet at the same time what few calls come-in they're not left hanging either. When I'm in a quiet type of place such as church I have a "timed profiles" app which tells the phone to be silent for a given period but then turn the sounds back on when the time is up, that way it's not left on silent/vibrate all day long.
I also think places of work can be unreasonable sometimes. Obviously you don't want someone glued to their phone all day and productivity and focusing on the task are paramount but also thinking that employees are supposed to go the entire shift and have their phone in a locker or such, that's silly. In my case it often happens that I'm working at night with my wife working at day and she likes to "check in" with me quickly when her workday is over. That's totally understandable and I answer such calls, I keep them short but I answer them. The day that becomes a problem, I'm looking for another job.
I think if you have a cell phone, then family, friends, and acquaintances think nothing of calling/texting you at work, no matter how trivial the conversation. Back when they had to call your office and ask for you or your extension, people were more apt to think "Oh, it can wait until s/he gets home after work." I think this is the reason that many employers have had to ask employees to keep their phones off unless they're on a break. The employees, in most cases, can still be reached through the office landline if necessary.
I think if you have a cell phone, then family, friends, and acquaintances think nothing of calling/texting you at work, no matter how trivial the conversation. Back when they had to call your office and ask for you or your extension, people were more apt to think "Oh, it can wait until s/he gets home after work."
People are welcome to call me at work on my cell phone. Just because I get a call, that doesn't mean I'll take it.
I recently have been leaving my cell phone home on weekends. I have been seeking a disconnect on weekends and focusing on enjoying the time with my wife and the nice Summer weather. I was in a forest today, and took some moments to not only experience but feel the environment. I went to a friend's later right from there and one was shocked at me choosing to disconnect. I keep it on me at work 5 days a week only for emergencies and to maintain contact with my wife. I feel mentally more clear and do not miss the phone at all. This came very suddenly for me as a decision. I get few calls or texts over the last few years.
My friend says he could never leave the phone behind as he would feel naked without it. He had it in his hand through a whole pay per view sporting event! I do not judge, but am curious- Anyone else partially disconnect with the smartphone? We are so conditioned now to seek or post info moment to moment as a society. It's like the whole world is broadcast live, everyone can be a DJ. People argue a lot on social platforms as well. I may have a different view growing up in the age of payphones and beepers, which was the it thing to have many moons ago.
I still play a little Xbox on weekends, as I am a long term gamer but prefer the outdoors by far.
Nice.
I don't leave it at home, but I don't carry it into stores and restaurants, either. It says in the car.
I answer texts after 2 days, usually, so I don't get very many.
I have tried to make friends with people who simply CAN NOT put the dang thing away.
I moved to a cell phone dead spot. They are fewer by the day.
Can't say I miss it; but, the idea of an alternate reality moving
in to take the place of the real thing is a very serious concern
among those who make it their business to watch such things.
Nice.
I don't leave it at home, but I don't carry it into stores and restaurants, either. It says in the car.
I answer texts after 2 days, usually, so I don't get very many.
I have tried to make friends with people who simply CAN NOT put the dang thing away.
I agree about not putting it away. Movies, weddings, the beach etc there are some who can not take the time to focus and enjoy where they are in the moment. They could be in a strip club getting a lap dance and would probably STILL check the thing. At my barbershop the smocks have a plastic window so patrons can check the phone. No joke.
I have only been checking the thing after work later at night before going to bed. At work I check quickly 3 times per day as I have been in talks with other companies about a new job.
Yes, I do. Also, I NEVER leave my cellphone out, either. For example, if I'm out to dinner with friends, my phone is in my purse. I also don't sleep with my cell in my bedroom.
I think I'm far more relaxed and present (and less annoying and distracted) than my friends who live with cellphone in hand. Or on the table.
Because of my kitties and their love of mushing their faces on things till they fall on the floor...my phone gets put away, in the wire drawer of our coffee table on top of the Kleenex box. And when we go out, the only reason my smart phone is in my hand is because I carry a wristlet wallet and clutch it.
I got annoyed with pulling it out to check the time, so I started wearing a watch again.
While I realize there are people who over do with the smart phone...I think it's a self resolving problem. I'm not seeing the look what I ate tonight posts. I'm not seeing the date night posts. And...I'm not seeing tons of selfies anymore. Maybe it's just my friends and family.
I am still seeing restaurant tables filled with people ignoring each other and playing with their phones...and just recently we went for lunch at a empty place...and the people who came in after us sat right behind us.
And were clearly annoyed that we were talking. Not loudly, normal voices, but the place was dead...so, I'm sure, sitting right next to each other -- their choice -- they got to listen to our conversation.
One of them kept turning and staring, and finally made a big scene about moving his lunch to another table.
Not the first time we've annoyed the cell addicted..
Because of my kitties and their love of mushing their faces on things till they fall on the floor...my phone gets put away, in the wire drawer of our coffee table on top of the Kleenex box. And when we go out, the only reason my smart phone is in my hand is because I carry a wristlet wallet and clutch it.
I got annoyed with pulling it out to check the time, so I started wearing a watch again.
While I realize there are people who over do with the smart phone...I think it's a self resolving problem. I'm not seeing the look what I ate tonight posts. I'm not seeing the date night posts. And...I'm not seeing tons of selfies anymore. Maybe it's just my friends and family.
I am still seeing restaurant tables filled with people ignoring each other and playing with their phones...and just recently we went for lunch at a empty place...and the people who came in after us sat right behind us.
And were clearly annoyed that we were talking. Not loudly, normal voices, but the place was dead...so, I'm sure, sitting right next to each other -- their choice -- they got to listen to our conversation.
One of them kept turning and staring, and finally made a big scene about moving his lunch to another table.
Not the first time we've annoyed the cell addicted..
Wow, that is both sad and funny, and I notice the same thing.
Now had I been there I would have said in normal tone of voice to the ones offended "why do you go out to lunch together? Why not just go out alone?".
I really don't get it. And the thing is the ones who were texting were physically with the person they were texting, they would probably ignore that person and be texting someone else.
I totally understand the urge to disconnect, but in my life that simply isn't an option. Fortunately, unless something HUGE happens, my company does not contact me on weekends. When I work on weekends, it is entirely by my own choice.
I do not have a significant other. What I do have is many friends who live far away and like to "group call" me when they get together because they miss me. I will drop EVERYTHING to answer those calls. I have an elderly father with dementia - when I'm with him, my phone needs to be on me in case he has a health issue, and when I'm not with him, I need my phone in case someone watching him needs to talk to me.
But TRUST ME, I understand the need to unplug. When I lived in my hometown, I was the first call for many of my family when there was a problem or just wanted to hang out. I no longer get calls in the dead of night or during my workday to come clean up a mess. To be fair, these were not usually frivolous calls - my grandmother was in poor health, and I was the most immediately available person. But when I moved away after her death, it was very freeing nonetheless.
As a single lady..Traveling alone. I keep a phone handy. If I need assistance,it's a call or text away.
My workplace has a no cell policy. Our concentration is on the customer.
I've had non volunteered disconnect when unemployed and no funds for cell usage. Try filling out an online application with no phone! Or even setting up an interview with no phone. Yeah the days of pen/paper are gone. And with it a lot of missed opportunity for an employer to meet a hard worker.
Also left my tech stuff (tablet,Kindle,phone,) at home when I did a mountain retreat. Didn't miss it one bit! Didn't miss TV or radio either. It was refreshing! For a little while.
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