to be edited later... sorry

[chronovore]

When Your Cellphone Is in My Space - New York Times: [the other michael]

Yes, it’s true: as James Katz, director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies at Rutgers University, says, “If anything characterizes the 21st century, it’s our inability to restrain ourselves for the benefit of other people.”
Cellphone use is but one manifestation of this unhappy fact. Or maybe it was always so, but with more of us living in closer proximity, today it’s more obvious.

Comments

[super-nyanko.livejournal.com]

I am against the idea of jamming cellphones anywhere. When I was pregnant I really liked having one on me, I really liked that Josh had his on him. Post signs saying you have to take calls outside restaurants or whatever, but jamming a signal would take away something that is essential in emergencies these days.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's really the question -- and that's why it's still illegal.
BTW, I haven't made time to read the whole article yet, so I'm not sure if these things are blanket, constant disruptions, or just one-time bursts that will disrupt a call that some asshole is making at the table neighboring yours at Starbucks.

[ferricide.livejournal.com]

one thing that isn't covered is that, i think, asking people to be reasonable has a better long term effect than just shutting down the conversation. sure, the latter is easier and more likely to be amusing to you, but actually treating people like adults is probably the best plan for getting reality sorted out.

i try not to use my phone in places where it would annoy others, but i find the lack of reprocussions causes me to slide a little bit on what i consider those places to be, and then i'm like, "er, i really shouldn't be on the phone right now, i'm in a restaurant!" hrm.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's part of it. And I agree, dealing with other people and communicating with them as fellow humans is the best answer.

However there are the assholes who are just... oblivious that they're BOOMING into their phone in a space where everyone else is using their "indoor voices" -- and these tend to be the type of people who react /badly/ to being embarrassed, or informed by strangers that they're acting inappropriately.

[ferricide.livejournal.com]

yeah, i'm not saying it's easy.

the thing about "solutions" like the jammer is that they aren't really going to help anything. yes, you'll probably never see that jerkwad again on the bus, but hundreds or thousands of others will.

i mean, trust me, i'm not the kind of person who can tell people shit. i just suffer in silence. but it's the better tactic.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

My trouble is that I honestly lose the thread between deciding to say something and actually having the words leave my mouth.

Example: In college, I had intended to ask the three big guys with their girlfriends to "please stop talking quite so loudly, so everyone can enjoy the movie," but by the time I got to their seats and opened my mouth it came out, "Could you all shut the fuck up?" Honestly, I think I was more surprised than they were.

In other cases when I really /try/ to ask nicely, something about my demeanor, or their attitude, or the combination of the two, makes them defensively confrontational. I really, really try to submerge my frustration and disbelief at their level of inconsideration, try to approach things placidly, and in a way in which everyone can save face, but it rarely works out.

Or maybe I'm just remembering the times that it hasn't worked out, because they stand out.