Every morning I get on the bus to go to work, it's usually around 7:00AM.
As soon as I get on the bus, it's typically pretty empty. The two or three other people are already just staring at the screen of their smart phones. The bus fills and fills, to the point where people have to stand because all fifty - sixty seats are occupied. I look away from my smart phone, and see that everybody else is staring at the screens of theirs.
During the breaks at lunch, everybody is on their smart phones, social networking, all of the talk is about Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. All of the talk is about their friends, the ridiculous things that their friends did the night before, or the weekend that just passed. They talk trash about their friends for their opinions on things, or the stupid shit that they did during the weekend.
Anything that anybody has to say to me is usually about something they've seen on Facebook, and they'll pull out their smart phones and show me the post to make it even more clear to me. As if I didn't understand what they were saying to begin with.

I take the bus back home from work, or to downtown, or wherever, and the same thing. Everybody is on their smart phone. Nobody has small talk on the bus anymore, nobody has small talk at work anymore, or real conversations for that matter. It's all become a break to check their social networks.
It makes me wonder what's in store for our future, what will happen, why we choose not to talk to the people beside us unless it's to talk about something happening or something that's been said in the digital world.
Even when I try to have a conversation with my girlfriend, she hardly acknowledges some of the things I say because she's glued to her smart phone. I'm guilty of all of this too, but lately I've been putting in an effort to stay away from social networking more and more, especially while I'm out on the go.

If it weren't for me sharing my Facebook with a family member of mine so they can play games on it, I would have deleted it by now. If it weren't for tattoo artists sharing their work on Instagram, I'd have deleted that by now too. Thankfully I haven't fallen into Twitter before, and never will.

Is it this bad everywhere? Is it like this on every bus or public transit system across the world where people have smart phones and Facebook?
It depresses me that when we aren't busy, all we do is focus on our phones and the social networks.

Unfortunately for you guys, me going away from social networking so much is going to mean I'll be on here a lot more, so sorry in advance.

Good. More people need to leave that horrible site.

Its a sad, unique imprint of modern culture that we'll all look back upon from the future with pity.

This too shall pass.

Society is dead these days anyway

I had a cell phone two times before. I never did need it for anything, but it was a lot easier to keep in contact with friends because of how often they're on them. It was a basic flip phone, nothing special. I didn't care for it more than that, and after a few months when I thought paying for it was sucking up my savings, I dropped it because it wasn't a necessity.

The second time around, I got one with a touch screen and slide out keyboard (currently sitting in my room gathering dust). I could've had apps and whatnot, even though my most recent one was an android. Again, all I used it for was texting friends when they weren't around (i.e. discussing ideas from Ethics with a few people), calling my parents whenever I was at class to let them know I was coming back, and checking my email. It was no different from the first time, though I did spend more money for a better phone this time, and after a few months I stopped paying again and let it run out of service.

Something good about technology is its versatility, its adaptability. Because I always have access to a computer, I can just message someone from Facebook if I need to get a hold of them, or I can go on my email and use it like I did with my cell phone. I'm on the computer a lot, but I would have also deleted my Facebook if it were not one of the only ways I have to communicate with certain people I know. I log on maybe once a day unless I'm messaging someone, and I don't like the games. I don't use Tumblr or Twitter, I just don't feel the need to.

In any first world country, it most likely is that prevalent, and it's fucking annoying to not be able to have a decent conversation, let alone discussion or argument, with someone who can't bear to leave their device where it is.

At 4/23/14 08:32 PM, Phobotech wrote: Its a sad, unique imprint of modern culture that we'll all look back upon from the future with pity.

This too shall pass.

You could consider this a theory on what could eventually happen. I mean, maybe not, but is this not impossible to think of?

I feel you bro. I live in Berlin and almost everyone who travels with the metro or buss are on their phones. That's one reason I don't have a smart phone. The only thing I regret, is that I have a facebook account that I can't delete anymore T_T

Well, when people are at the dinner table, like how I recently went to Denny's there was 2 kids, and 2 adults. They all had Ipds, and where texting, and watching movies. Why in the fuck did you go to a Denny's when you're not going to speak to each other?

you just notice this now?

hell the only reason i don't get one is because of the stupid shitty braindead zombies habits people do with their smartphones in public

At 4/23/14 09:06 PM, SithCorduroy wrote: If I road a public bus I wouldn't want to talk to anybody, and I don't social network.

You're missing the point entirely. It isn't about the bus, it's about socializing in general.

At 4/23/14 09:08 PM, Sequenced wrote: you just notice this now?

No. I just mention it now because it bothers me more now.

not only social networking is a tool to keep watch on the public people like NSA but it is a system to distract people from their own reality. making the public not giving a shit whats around them. a simple yet easy device to brainwash people

Yeah i quit social media a few years ago. The only thing I use that is REMOTELY similar to social media sites is NG. I think i'm generally a happier, healthier, and more aware person because of it. In fact, I'd probably be doing even better if i quit NG as well. BYE!

ITT: people with no friends

I make a point of using social networking as little as possible, mainly beause the type of people that do tend to use it are irritating and post endless rubbish which I have absolutely no interest in and for some reason find it weird when I don't want to talk to them. I have a facebook which I only ever used at work when there was nothing to do at all or when I needed to talk to someone who for some reason refused to get something actually useful like skype and instead only talked to people on facebook, who's interface was created by someone with no concept of ergonomics.

When I am outside and have nothing particular to do, I tend to just gaxe off into the distance and think about stuff and ideas to roll with for stories and similar. If I want to spend time using technology then I would go home and do it properly, using an actual computer and in privacy.

At 4/23/14 08:14 PM, Luke wrote: Unfortunately for you guys, me going away from social networking so much is going to mean I'll be on here a lot more, so sorry in advance.

The irony of this post baffles me

At 4/23/14 10:09 PM, Swag-in-a-Bag wrote:

At 4/23/14 08:14 PM, Luke wrote: Unfortunately for you guys, me going away from social networking so much is going to mean I'll be on here a lot more, so sorry in advance.

The irony of this post baffles me

Is Newgrounds a social networking website? I haven't ever considered it as such.

Quit facebook and cease socializing. This will solve your depression.

At 4/23/14 10:54 PM, satanbrain wrote: Quit facebook and cease socializing. This will solve your depression.

this is pretty much 90% of the world should do. STOP contributing to a guy who sold your info to the NSA. Mark Zuckerberg should be hung.

At 4/23/14 10:11 PM, Luke wrote: Is Newgrounds a social networking website? I haven't ever considered it as such.

Social-pertaining to human society and can be characterized by friendly companionship; or by a community body divided into classes by status

Networking- A supportive system of sharing information and services amongst individuals and groups having a common interest

No, its just a place where i cum to make dic jokes and play games

At 4/23/14 10:11 PM, Luke wrote: Is Newgrounds a social networking website?

NO. no comparison either

At 4/23/14 11:02 PM, Cordyceps wrote:

At 4/23/14 11:01 PM, PotHeadParadise wrote:

At 4/23/14 10:11 PM, Luke wrote: Is Newgrounds a social networking website?

NO. no comparison either

http://www.newgrounds.com/social

not even close

At 4/23/14 11:01 PM, PotHeadParadise wrote:

At 4/23/14 10:11 PM, Luke wrote: Is Newgrounds a social networking website?

NO. no comparison either

It depends on HOW you use Newgrounds, but no man can defy logic successfully

At 4/23/14 10:58 PM, Swag-in-a-Bag wrote: Social-pertaining to human society and can be characterized by friendly companionship; or by a community body divided into classes by status

Networking- A supportive system of sharing information and services amongst individuals and groups having a common interest

No, its just a place where i cum to make dic jokes and play games

I understand your want to come off as super intelligent by pulling out your definitions, but I think you know pretty well that Social Network would refer to something like Facebook.
This isn't a social network, this is a flash website that has a BBS and a chat system, as well as private messaging. It's really far from being a social network.

At 4/23/14 10:12 PM, SithCorduroy wrote: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/08/06/beware-tech-abandoners-people-without-facebook-accounts-are-suspicious/

People who shun social networking are probably serial killers.

Huh. Interesting. But then the majority of serial killers are also old white males and generally reclusive, so they wouldn't be using social media sites as avidly as most anyhow.

At 4/23/14 11:11 PM, Luke wrote:
I understand your want to come off as super intelligent by pulling out your definitions, but I think you know pretty well that Social Network would refer to something like Facebook.

Oh is that what you got from that ? I wasn't aware that Facebook and sites like those are the only forms of SN.

This isn't a social network, this is a flash website that has a BBS and a chat system, as well as private messaging. It's really far from being a social network.

Right on broski, spread knowledge kill ignorance

wow powerful and i understand where you are coming from, i never really understood the addiction of social networking or why everybody's always saying what and this and what ever you get right ?. i only go in facebook to check in then leave within 5-10 minutes max 15-20 but most likely the former and all its usually the same thing by friends party drugs drinking and getting that cash and other things that will usually get repeated, and other friends will have something different things to say and family as well. twitter is boring i long in rarely last time i went on was when i asked tom how pax was going,other then that i don't really use it or almost not at all,as for instagram i don't use that and i think i never will.
the only reason i might keep looking at my phone is to check the time and see if have any missed calls or texts since its easy for me miss some calls or texts because sometimes i don't hear the phone ring.
and i congratulate you keep doing what you're doing i don't see it really necessary to check in with friends or family but it becomes a nuisance when the same thing is spewed several times im sure you know.

At 4/23/14 10:12 PM, SithCorduroy wrote: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/08/06/beware-tech-abandoners-people-without-facebook-accounts-are-suspicious/

People who shun social networking are probably serial killers.

thats fucking sad and pathetic.
and that bitch seems retarded if she she thinks that

I don't do social networking, but I'm not one of those weirdos who wants to invade everyone's lives on the bus either. And I don't understand people who complain about people being on their phones all the time. Seriously, stop staring at strangers and acting like their lives matter to you.

At 4/24/14 01:01 AM, NuclearInfected wrote: I don't do social networking, but I'm not one of those weirdos who wants to invade everyone's lives on the bus either. And I don't understand people who complain about people being on their phones all the time. Seriously, stop staring at strangers and acting like their lives matter to you.

Their lives DON'T matter. It's just that it is every single person that I see. That is the problem. In all honesty I don't give a damn what Joe Schmoe does or what John Doe does or whatever. I don't "invade" peoples live's on the bus. I don't even talk to people on the bus. It's just strange that everybody is so drawn into their phones at every free second that they have in the day. I was using these things as examples.

At 4/24/14 01:10 AM, Luke wrote: Their lives DON'T matter. It's just that it is every single person that I see. That is the problem. In all honesty I don't give a damn what Joe Schmoe does or what John Doe does or whatever. I don't "invade" peoples live's on the bus. I don't even talk to people on the bus. It's just strange that everybody is so drawn into their phones at every free second that they have in the day. I was using these things as examples.

It's just killing boredom. Before smartphones it was magazines and newspapers. I guess you're a very boring person, with nothing to do but be butthurt about others enjoying themselves without talking to your boring ass.