Stop Being A Smart Phone Zombie!

April 23, 2015

I think we're getting to the point where we rely so much on instant gratification that we insist on getting news as it happens anytime we want.

Seriously, we live in a society in which it's never been easier to get information.  With WiFi connections at practically every single coffee shop in the world and new websites being created every minute, you can find out practically anything you want in just seconds.

Isn't the Internet fun?

Of course, some of the information presented online can get a little bit repetitive.  I think I lost count at 100 times that I saw information on the "Full House" reunion that is set to happen on "Netflix" sometime next year.

(Oh, and fun fact here.  Candace Cameron bure will be 40 years old when the show will make its return in 2016 - which is older than any of the adult characters when the original show debuted in 1987!  How's that for freaky?)

Anyway, we're not going to talk about "Full House" in this diary entry.  Instead, we're going to be talking about how easy it is to get information from the Internet...as well as how easy it is to alienate everybody around you while you're getting this information.

Now, I get it.  These days every single person in the world seems to have at least one cellular phone.  I admit that I have a phone myself which I use semi-often.  I'm the type of person who actually uses a phone to...well, you know...call people.  I don't mind texting, but I'm not very good at it. 

I'm basically a "Damn You Autocorrect" moment waiting to happen.

And while I do find it awesome that I can visit Facebook, or even update my blog using my cell phone...I very rarely use my phone for that.  I honestly haven't figured out how to update my blog through my phone, and to be perfectly honest, I prefer using an old fashioned desktop computer for my writing.

Truth be told, if I could find a retro style typewriter, I would rather use one of those.  I love old school typewriters!

But do you know what I don't love?  I don't love people who are so obsessed with what they are downloading on their phones that they completely tune out everything and everyone to focus all of their attention on a five inch screen...or whatever size your cell phone just happens to be.

Here's a prime example of this.

Now, at my workplace, if you work an eight hour shift, you typically get an hour for lunch.  And most people I know spend their hour inside of the employee lounge.  There are times in which I will be sitting at a table all to myself and I will have people sit down and join me, which I do not have a problem with.  I can be quite a chatty person if I am in the mood and I really love having deep conversations with people.

What I don't enjoy is having a group of people sitting at my table, pulling out their cell phones and completely ignoring me to have a rousing game of candy crush, or texting their main man or woman, or updating their Twitter feed.  To me, it's a little bit rude.

Even ruder still is when someone at the table finds something of interest, and they feel the need to pull out their phone and show everyone at the table - and they completely forget to acknowledge you at all.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times that I have seen people showing off videos on their phones and completely freeze me out, as if I'm not important enough to see it, or because I actually want to spend my lunch hour socializing face to face instead of through a tiny phone screen.

As much as it pains me to say this, one of the ways in which I take action against this is by bringing my iPod to work and drown everyone else out.  It sometimes sucks that I have to take on the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach, but what's the point of trying to engage conversation with people who basically don't even notice that you're there.

But here's the difference.  If someone were to sit down at my table, I would remove the iPod and chat. 

In closing...put away the damn cell phones when you're at a table with other people and maybe get to know the people who are around you instead of ignoring them.

If I wanted to watch zombies, I'd turn on "the Walking Dead."