Writer's Block: Miss Manners
The answer is EASILY cell phones! I have to say, phones are great because they keep you connected, but sometimes to a fault. People walk around the city attached to their phones, while they are pushing past people, cutting in line, etc. -- basically, ignoring the other people around them. Others talk loudly on phones in public areas (on a bus, etc.) and that's disturbing to others, too.
Worse even than offending strangers around you, is the fact that you can very easily be rude to your friend or your date who is sitting RIGHT ACROSS FROM YOU at a table, and you are talking on the phone, texting, checking email, etc. I know I can be guilty of that at times, but not as much as some people. Unless it was very important or an emergency, I would never take a call while hanging with a friend or being on a date. I always just send the call to voicemail -- it can wait.
I do sort of miss the "old days" where our phones are at HOME with an answering machine, and leaving the house meant getting AWAY from the constant communication. I do enjoy the safety factor of cell phones (help is just a call away), an the fact that they can be used to easily and spontaneously meet up with a friend or something. SO I am not totally a phone-hater, but I do think they are a bad influence on our public behavior!
So there! I said it!!! :)
Worse even than offending strangers around you, is the fact that you can very easily be rude to your friend or your date who is sitting RIGHT ACROSS FROM YOU at a table, and you are talking on the phone, texting, checking email, etc. I know I can be guilty of that at times, but not as much as some people. Unless it was very important or an emergency, I would never take a call while hanging with a friend or being on a date. I always just send the call to voicemail -- it can wait.
I do sort of miss the "old days" where our phones are at HOME with an answering machine, and leaving the house meant getting AWAY from the constant communication. I do enjoy the safety factor of cell phones (help is just a call away), an the fact that they can be used to easily and spontaneously meet up with a friend or something. SO I am not totally a phone-hater, but I do think they are a bad influence on our public behavior!
So there! I said it!!! :)