Cellphone Refusal?

[BrooklynBrett]

I absolutely refuse to get a cell phone. I find nothing more irritating than people who will interrupt conversations.... to have a conversation with someone else who isn't present. Cell phones are intrusive, irritating, and rarely very cheap. I realize that 75% of America over 15 y/o, and 95% of western Europe has a cell phone, but I absolutely refuse to carry one. Frankly, I don't WANT to be that available.

[DashDingo]

Good for you.

[API]

Yeah. They can be pretty damn useful sometimes.

[Jose]

Well, thats what it takes to manage your time.

If you like rotary cord phones, no one will stop you from being technologically challenged.

[SPR]

I have a cellphone, It's at least 3 years old. It isn't one of those silly flip-phones, with a color screen, or anything fancy like that. On the rare occasion that I do use it, I use it for it's actual purpose. And it works.

[BrooklynBrett]

I see the handiness of not having to find a phone if you're away, and I don't contest that.

What I DO contest is how damned irritating these things are. I'll be having lunch with a friend, watching a movie with friends, or just talking in a group of people...

and all the sudden, some poorly composed scratchy tune starts playing out of someone's pocket. everyone immediately STOPS the conversation, checks their pockets, and the person actually being called only turns away from the group half the time. usually, i'm stuck having to hear them talk to some friend from who-knows-where asking them what they're doing. well, asshole, they're with ME right now. hang with them later. even with "features" like vibrate, an entire room will go suddenly silent when they here that buzz coming from somone's belongings.

furthermore, walking around on campus, a full 50% of the people are on their phone at ANY given time. people walking in groups aren't talking, because some asshole felt it necessary to NOT use the voicemail feature they're paying for. at restaurants, i see couples walking in for dates, and either the guy or the girl IS ON A FUCKING CALL! right in the middle of the date! how fucking rude ARE we as a society?

maybe i sound backwards and cheesy, but i was raised to give deference and courtesy to those people i'm in company with, and not allow some flashy piece of overpriced shit get in the way.

and don't even get me STARTED on all of you who are so engrossed in calls that you forget you're driving. anytime i see someone doing something stupid on the road, I say to myself aloud "cellphone"... 100% of the time, they're either on a cell, or elderly.

Sure, they're useful, and sure they have a good purpose. My point is that they're a societal dumbing-down factor, and soooo incredibly rude.

[DariusR]

It's convienient in emergencies, that's about it.

[InfamousKilla]

i guess me and you can't be friends because i LOVE CELLPHONES

[Luxury-Yacht]

Same here. I plan to make the world's largest cellular phone, and effectively rendering it useless in the process. it will be on wheels, so I can move it from place to place. It will be in Dolby surround sound.

[Jercurpac]

I used to be the same way when it came to cellphones and honestly the only reason I ever got one was because my mom bought it and payed for the service just so I would have one in case of an emergency. Eventually you will come into a situation where your cellphone will come in handy, maybe your car will break down, maybe someone in your family will get injured when you're out of town and that will be the only way to contact you. When something bad happens and you need your cellphone you'll be glad you have it. I still refuse to pay for it myself, but I'm glad I have it.

[CardinalFang]

As for 15 year olds having cellphones, you want one? Go get a fucking job.

[Sean-Connery]

At 10/20/05 10:28 PM, Thorfalcon wrote: What I DO contest is how damned irritating these things are. I'll be having lunch with a friend, watching a movie with friends, or just talking in a group of people...
and all the sudden, some poorly composed scratchy tune starts playing out of someone's pocket.

Maybe over there, over here (at least with me) I'll keep talking while I check mine, what's funny is almost no-one has the same ringtone as me because they all want to be original and unique by having some piece of shit attempt at a song playing.

I have what my phone lists as "Ring Ring", which is basically just a more or less traditional phone sound.

Also, if I'm with people and I get a call I make it as quick as possible, tell them to email me or something, or sometimes just deny the call and get a voicemail later on.

people walking in groups aren't talking, because some asshole felt it necessary to NOT use the voicemail feature they're paying for. at restaurants, i see couples walking in for dates, and either the guy or the girl IS ON A FUCKING CALL! right in the middle of the date! how fucking rude ARE we as a society?

I don't get the stop talking thing, over here me and my friends always keep talking and whoever has a call either walks a little bit away or just talks with us and it turns into one BIG conversation, far more social and people tend not to call back unless they know us well. =P

Now I tend to make my calls quick when I'm with people, but some of my friends prefer having their conversation and most of the time the rest of us join in and throw comments around on things.

As for the date thing..that's just fucking weird, seriously. =/

maybe i sound backwards and cheesy, but i was raised to give deference and courtesy to those people i'm in company with, and not allow some flashy piece of overpriced shit get in the way.

Speaking of flashy piece of overpriced shit, my phone is an ollld Nokia kinda like this one but in dark blue.
http://www.thecellzo..ia%203390%20Gold.jpg

I got it from my dad when he got a newer one and it does everything it needs to, calls, texts and Snake. =P

Sure, they're useful, and sure they have a good purpose. My point is that they're a societal dumbing-down factor, and soooo incredibly rude.

Much like a television in most of those respects then.

[Evark]

Essentially, you find that you would not be able to handle the distraction, so you've removed yourself from that situation entirely. I guess that's a good idea.

Personally, I follow basic etiquette rules when I'm on my cell phone. If I'm in a group I duck out if I recieve a call or have to make one. If I'm in a restaurant eating then I either duck out or call back later. If I'm on a date nobody is getting a hold of me unless I call them back afterwards. I drive and talk on my cell phone all the time, mainly because I can handle that kind of multi-tasking, whereas most people can't. I know that if the phone is getting too distracting, I can ignore it for a second while I'm making a driving decision, and either use context of the conversation to figure out what was said, or just ask them to repeat it.

It seems to me that cell phones are becoming just like cigarettes. People are addicted to them and for the most part don't have the common courtesy to consider what those around them would prefer in terms of second hand smoke or second hand noise.

[BrooklynBrett]

At 10/20/05 10:38 PM, Evark wrote: Essentially, you find that you would not be able to handle the distraction, so you've removed yourself from that situation entirely. I guess that's a good idea.

Handle the distraction? Yes, I'm SURE that's what's running through my mind. In no way is that just a lame and foundless put-down.

Personally, I follow basic etiquette rules when I'm on my cell phone. If I'm in a group I duck out if I recieve a call or have to make one. If I'm in a restaurant eating then I either duck out or call back later. If I'm on a date nobody is getting a hold of me unless I call them back afterwards. I drive and talk on my cell phone all the time, mainly because I can handle that kind of multi-tasking, whereas most people can't. I know that if the phone is getting too distracting, I can ignore it for a second while I'm making a driving decision, and either use context of the conversation to figure out what was said, or just ask them to repeat it.

That's the point, guy. You don't KNOW who's calling you unless you've disturbed the whole social setting with either a ring or a buzz. Then you lift it up to check who's calling you. What does that say? Well, I'll tell you. Lifting your phone to check the caller is just telling everyone around you that you're deciding whether or not the caller is going to take precedence over THEM! You act like you're some master multi-tasker when really you're probably just as rude as the girls that other poster was talking about. And how dare you ask your friends to repeat what happened when you were gone with something apparently more important than they are. That's not etiquette, that's arrogance. If someone asks me to repeat what I said when they were away with a call that was apparently more important to them than the conversation we WERE having, I just tell them it was nothing. I don't say all this to be angry and combattive, but to challenge what I feel to be rude (even though it seems everyone else finds it fully acceptable).

It seems to me that cell phones are becoming just like cigarettes. People are addicted to them and for the most part don't have the common courtesy to consider what those around them would prefer in terms of second hand smoke or second hand noise.

I can agree with you on that one. Kids being raised with cell phones are losing (or never gaining) the ability to be a considerate, deferrent, engaged conversationalist. You guys all think I'm an arrogant, angry asshole, but you'd all be surprised if you met me. I take out my frustration on my be-luff-ed BBS after a day's frustration with the world. Good ol' Mom raised me to be the utmost of polite to whomever I'm in a conversation with, and I've never found a cell phone able to fit into how I feel others I'm talking to deserve to be treated.

[Normajeanx]

cellphones are going to becaome a part of socioty get used to it

[BrooklynBrett]

At 10/20/05 10:51 PM, Normajeanx wrote: cellphones are going to becaome a part of socioty get used to it

Thanks for contributing without spelling, punctuation, or logic. Stupid kids. Honestly.

[Evark]

At 10/20/05 10:50 PM, Thorfalcon wrote: In no way is that just a lame and foundless put-down.

HA HA HA. Oh man. Priceless.

That's the point, guy. You don't KNOW who's calling you unless you've disturbed the whole social setting with either a ring or a buzz.

I keep my phone on silent mode nearly 24/7, since otherwise I'd forget to while in class. Nobody can hear my phone when it vibrates, and I can't either. You can only hear the buzz if everyone with you is silent, which means your phone going off isn't interrupting shit.

Then you lift it up to check who's calling you. What does that say? Well, I'll tell you. Lifting your phone to check the caller is just telling everyone around you that you're deciding whether or not the caller is going to take precedence over THEM!

Yea. No shit. Cell phones are so you can get a hold of people if there's an emergency primarily, and a method of communicating for fun secondarily, with everything else third. Essentially, I'm checking to see if it's someone that would have an emergency or not. Most of the time I don't even take it out to see who it is, and I have custom ring tones/buzzer patterns set up for the different types of people that would be calling me so I know if it's someone important or not without opening the phone.

You act like you're some master multi-tasker when really you're probably just as rude as the girls that other poster was talking about.

I am. I drive in the same exact manner on a cell phone as I do when not on a cell phone, and I'm an excellent driver. I get it from my Dad, who's been driving his entire life and has never recieved a single ticket in his life, and has had a cell phone and spent lots of time talking on it while driving for the past 10 + years of his life.

And how dare you ask your friends to repeat what happened when you were gone with something apparently more important than they are. That's not etiquette, that's arrogance.

I never do that to those I was with, a bunch of us shooting the shit with each other is never important enough to ask people to repeat what happened, the only time it would be worth it would be in the case of a funny joke, but the original effect is lost when a joke is repeated anyway, so it is pointless. I ask the people I'm on the phone with to repeat what they said if I'm too busy driving to pay attention, but that rarely happens anyway. You just misunderstood what I was describing, or deliberately misrepresented it because you need to make your point stronger.

If someone asks me to repeat what I said when they were away with a call that was apparently more important to them than the conversation we WERE having, I just tell them it was nothing. I don't say all this to be angry and combattive, but to challenge what I feel to be rude (even though it seems everyone else finds it fully acceptable).

Suit yourself. If people are that curious about what went on while they were away, I'm happy to fill them in at my convenience.

I can agree with you on that one. Kids being raised with cell phones are losing (or never gaining) the ability to be a considerate, deferrent, engaged conversationalist.

I couldn't agree more, except this was happening long before cell phones were around. My room mate is a perfect example, whenever I'm on the phone with my girlfriend I'll move to another room where nobody is there, but if he's on the phone with the guy he's interested in, he'll just stay right in the room, so if I don't want to hear the senseless background noise, I have to leave the room.

You guys all think I'm an arrogant, angry asshole, but you'd all be surprised if you met me. I take out my frustration on my be-luff-ed BBS after a day's frustration with the world.

We all do that, you just do it in a way that gets people pissed off at you instead of what you're pissed off at.

Good ol' Mom raised me to be the utmost of polite to whomever I'm in a conversation with, and I've never found a cell phone able to fit into how I feel others I'm talking to deserve to be treated.

Well, Mom started it, you chose to adopt the notion yourself. I'm the same way, I've always had a very acute sense of what's polite and what isn't.

[BrooklynBrett]

HA HA HA. Oh man. Priceless.

Erm, yes, "rofl" or whatever.

I keep my phone on silent mode nearly 24/7, since otherwise I'd forget to while in class. Nobody can hear my phone when it vibrates, and I can't either. You can only hear the buzz if everyone with you is silent, which means your phone going off isn't interrupting shit.

"Nearly 24/7" of course translates not... not at all 24/7. Don't tell me that vibrating phones aren't audible. Everyone knows they are. I sit in classes every damned day with someone who has their phone on vibrate. The class within 15 feet of the buzzing phone turns to look. You can act like you're above the behavior all you want. I'm telling you what happens.

Yea. No shit. Cell phones are so you can get a hold of people if there's an emergency primarily, and a method of communicating for fun secondarily, with everything else third. Essentially, I'm checking to see if it's someone that would have an emergency or not. Most of the time I don't even take it out to see who it is, and I have custom ring tones/buzzer patterns set up for the different types of people that would be calling me so I know if it's someone important or not without opening the phone.

Right. Another "rofl" or whatever. I'm SURE the reason that everyone walks around with cell phones, is because they're just CERTAIN that someone absolutely needs their immediate attention for an "emergency". The absolute ONLY case that even comes close to your criteria is your mom or dad getting in a car wreck, and are in the hospital. Even then, the number you see will only be one that calls you frequently anyway, so its not like you'd pay attention to it. Sorry, Charlie. Your reasons just aren't panning out. I don't see why you feel the need to angrily defend something as silly and culturally-accepted as rude as this, but that's fine. You "nor-easterners" never made sense to me anyhow.

I am. I drive in the same exact manner on a cell phone as I do when not on a cell phone, and I'm an excellent driver. I get it from my Dad, who's been driving his entire life and has never recieved a single ticket in his life, and has had a cell phone and spent lots of time talking on it while driving for the past 10 + years of his life.

Yippee. I, too, am ticketless in every form. I can drive fine with a phone when the need called for it. Believe it or not, Vark, this conversation doesn't revolve around you. You've missed the point, so I'll be gracious and present it AGAIN:

People, with rare exception, are unfathomably rude, and often dangerous with cell phones. The "Emergency" logic makes sense for OUTBOUND calls, if you're stuck in a blizzard or some shit. It doesn't work for incoming. You're JUST as likely to answer/ignore some numbers, as you don't KNOW if they're an emergency. And if you really answer each call, say, from your mom's number, then you ARE acting rudely.

I really don't care how thinly you can squeeze an explanation of YOUR usage of these things to fit what's "acceptable", because that's not my point.

I never do that to those I was with, a bunch of us shooting the shit with each other is never important enough to ask people to repeat what happened, the only time it would be worth it would be in the case of a funny joke, but the original effect is lost when a joke is repeated anyway, so it is pointless. I ask the people I'm on the phone with to repeat what they said if I'm too busy driving to pay attention, but that rarely happens anyway. You just misunderstood what I was describing, or deliberately misrepresented it because you need to make your point stronger.

Nope, I see your point for this section. It seems that you ARE a rare exception to taking calls when in company, and for that you ARE to be commended. However, that doesn't contradict my point that almost everyone I know isn't as polite as you.

I couldn't agree more, except this was happening long before cell phones were around. My room mate is a perfect example, whenever I'm on the phone with my girlfriend I'll move to another room where nobody is there, but if he's on the phone with the guy he's interested in, he'll just stay right in the room, so if I don't want to hear the senseless background noise, I have to leave the room.

Again, most people won't. Cell phones don't come equipped with the same kind of speakers that landlines do. In regular phones, what you say is run back up to your earpiece with a 1/8th second delay, so you hear yourself talking. Cellphones don't have this feature, so the vast majority of users think that they have to talk fucking LOUD. Just Monday I was walking across a peaceful, silent parking lot. You could hear birds chirping and everything. Serene. Then, (i'm not kidding about this distance) 100 feet behind me, Joe Frat gets on his cell phone. Loud... as... shit. I could hear every damned word he said. And he is NOT an exception to the rule. People yell into these things. And its not as if the ear-speaker is the only excuse. People should know by common sense not to talk that loudly nearly ANYWHERE!

We all do that, you just do it in a way that gets people pissed off at you instead of what you're pissed off at.

I'm not in control of your thoughts of me. Because Scottish 17 year-olds who shave their eyebrows don't like me, I should feel a need to change my conduct?

Well, Mom started it, you chose to adopt the notion yourself. I'm the same way, I've always had a very acute sense of what's polite and what isn't.

I think we're more alike than we know. :-D

[Buddhist]

WOW. You're cool. Let's be rebels!

You don't need to make a topic about it, seriously.

Nobody cares if you're technologically retarded.