Recently, the conductor of the New York Philharmonic stopped a concert when a cell phone rang, interrupting the concert. It turned out to be an honest mistake-the gentleman was issued a new phone from work not realizing the alarm was set to ring, even though the phone was set to silent. But a ringing cellphone can ruin a live concert experience for someone who pays close to $200 for a concert ticket.
This incident makes me wonder if technology is making us ruder. Most of this rudeness seems to be centered on cell phones. I’ve been in movie theaters where more than one cell phone has rung. I have been in a movie theater where another member of the audience answered the call and had a ten minute conversation. I have been in line at a restaurant behind a man who had to call his wife and ask her what she wanted for dinner. I have heard way too much information from strangers sitting near me having cell phone conversations. The local convenience store near me even has a sign asking patrons to end cell phone conversations before stepping up to the register.
All of these issues were not a problem twenty years ago. I believe technology is not to blame; it’s how people use the technology in public. I googled technology and rudeness and found several articles. It seems as though others are just as annoyed as I am by rude cell phone users. More people seem to be tired of having their concert, movie or dinner interrupted by the obnoxious cell phone user next to them.
Below is a list of Joanna Kurtz’s 10 cell phone Do’s and Don’ts. I wish more people would follow them
1. Never take a personal mobile call during a business meeting. This includes interviews and meetings with co-workers or subordinates.
2. Maintain at least a 10-foot zone from anyone while talking.
3. Never talk in elevators, libraries, museums, restaurants, cemeteries, theaters, dentist or doctor waiting rooms, places of worship, auditoriums or other enclosed public spaces, such as hospital emergency rooms or buses. And don't have any emotional conversations in public — ever.
4. Don't use loud and annoying ring tones that destroy concentration and eardrums. Grow up!
5. Never "multi-task" by making calls while shopping, banking, waiting in line or conducting other personal business.
6. Keep all cellular congress brief and to the point.
7. Use an earpiece in high-traffic or noisy locations. That lets you hear the amplification, or how loud you sound at the other end, so you can modulate your voice.
8. Tell callers when you're talking on a mobile, so they can anticipate distractions or disconnections.
9. Demand "quiet zones" and "phone-free areas" at work and in public venues, like the quiet cars on the Amtrak Metroliner.
10. Inform everyone in your mobile address book that you've just adopted the new rules for mobile manners. Ask them to do likewise. Please.
If only more people would follow these rules.
The links below are to more articles on rude cell phone behavior.
Hm. Excellent reflection.
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteI am guilty of being on both sides of this rude technology issue. I think that the excitement tends to sway people from making the connection between courtesy and etiquette with technologies. I realized after being annoyed myself by others just how rude and crass it appears. Perhaps in the future someone will mandate training before electronic device issuance!
I think you're right--the problem is not so much the technology as it is the ways in which people are using it. I don't know whether they tend to be oblivious to how their behavior is annoying those around them, or whether it is more often the case that they recognize it but don't care. They see so many others are doing the same thing. Like Preference, I have found myself on either side at some point. We should all try to be more cognizant of our 'cellular congress'. :-)
ReplyDelete