Text Message Plans
I have been thinking about this for a few months now (if you are one of my friends I am sure you have heard me talk about this). I was reading this article, Is Technology Bad for Relationships?, which reminded me of the topic. I have been noticing over the past couple of months that I don’t really make plans with friends. Everything is very tentative and requires multiple phone calls, text messages, emails, skpes to confirm. Sometime this is wonderful - don’t get me wrong - I am not complaining about this technology. This is the same technology that lets me work from almost anywhere that I can find an internet signal. With my cell phone I can work from home, the office, coffee shop.
But all of this technology also seems to make it hard to make plans with friends. When I was little, in a time I like to call BC (before cellphone) when my parents would go out to dinner they would leave a massive list of phone numbers - their friends whose house they would be stopping by first, the restaurant where they would be, the back up restaurant , etc. They made plans with another couple went to dinner enjoyed it or hated it and then came home.
I find that when I actually sit down with a friend for dinner or coffee (which means we have coordinate arriving in the same location with at least 5 calls/text/email contacts) - we are then both sitting there with one eye on the phone.
-What else might be going on tonight?
-Is so and so at this bar?
-Would I rather be at D’s with my sister than here with the person I made plans with.
Again, sometimes this is a lifesaver - if you are having a miserable time, a few text messages can get you to another location with people you might like better. But is this really a good thing? Maybe it is okay if some nights aren’t so fun, but at least you gave that person your full attention. I am sure there were times where my dad was stuck at some dinner he hated, but since it was BC (before cellphone) there was no option to send text messages to his children under the table.
I would like to think I have some cell phone discipline - I am a big fan of turning the ringer off and letting calls go to voice mail. Do we need more cell phone discipline? Should I leave the phone in the car? Does anyone else think that their cell phone has become a distraction to the conversation at hand?
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I think cell phones are as bad or as good as you make them. I’m generally disgusted when people answer theirs when in my company. I never, ever take a call when I am with someone, unless it’s super-urgent, in which case I apologize profusely to the real person in front of me before sheepishly answering and having a curt, quick conversation. I think most people have craptacular phone manners. I had a friend once be amazed that I took my (always on vibrate) phone out of my pocket and put it in my bag across the room when we were hanging out.
Cell phone calls are like farts: do it alone, and do it quietly.
Very useful info
Very useful