Addicted to the Phone
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 07/17/2008 at 10:40 AM
I felt like one of the last holdouts when I finally purchased a cell phone in January 2004. I was one of the last among my friends to do so. According to Newsweek, one in seven Americans still lives without a cell. But despite me and these other holdouts, the cellular phone is king of technologies.
According to the latest data, the U.S. "adoption rate" for mobile phones stands at 85 percent. That's higher than the percentage of Americans who have DVD players (84 percent), home PCs (80 percent), digital cameras (69 percent) or MP3 players (40 percent), according to the Nielsen Co.
Not surprisingly, companies are looking for ways to cash in on the cell-phoneless market.
A handful of start-ups are aggressively pursing wireless holdouts. The bulk of the un-mobile fall into three groups, says senior analyst Chris Collins of Yankee Group: children, the elderly and the credit-challenged. (There's actually a fourth group, prison inmates, but companies haven't yet found a way to target that elusive niche.)
To lure children, companies are providing parents with inexpensive family plans and child-safe phones that can be turned off and on remotely. Simple phones with large keypads are being marketed to seniors.
In her article, "Against the Cell," Lauren Winner considers the downside of a cell-obsessed society. She writes:
When I look around campus and see all the cell phones, I am struck by the sad thought that we are no longer ever alone. We have eroded all the space we once had for solitude. I've had some of my best conversations with myself, and with God, strolling across campus. Now, when we stroll, we are talking into tiny bits of plastic — and most of what we're saying is pretty lame. ("Well, I'm about 10 seconds from the library ... yep, now I'm walking up the library steps ... no, okay, well here I am entering the library, I'll see you in three seconds.") Is solitude so scary that we have made it impossible? Solitude is scary, but scarier still is the prospect of a society in which no one has time to be quiet, to be reflective.
I'm guilty of pulling out my phone and texting to avoid quiet moments of reflection. And Motte has considered his own cell phone dependency. Even Winner acknowledges her love-hate relationship with her phone.
I have a vexed relationship with my own cell phone. The flip side of convenience is invasiveness, and though I appreciate my phone's convenience, I hate the idea that people can get hold of me any time of day or night. I hate the thought that while I'm sleeping, messages that need responding to are piling up. My reaction is far from commendable — I basically ignore the messages, and keep my cell phone off most of the time, and so the messages do pile up, and somewhere out there are people who think I'm ignoring them, when really I'm just ignoring my phone.
How about you? Are you suffering from cell phone dependence? Has solitude been replaced by phone addiction? I've come a long way in four years. As I type, my phone sits a cozy distance from me on my desk. Wouldn't want to miss a call.
1. mary kate said the following at 11:23 AM on Jul 17:
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so there's this thing on my phone... it's called the off button. i use it frequently. also, i have this other thing, called a choice. i use choice to decide not to pick up or even look at my phone. :) of course, all of my friends think i'm terrible about returning their calls, but oh well.
2. Lindsay said the following at 11:29 AM on Jul 17:
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I think that whether a person avoids quiet moments is up to him or her. Certainly you can walk and think without whipping out your cell; it's just the most convenient way to distract yourself.
3. DannieA said the following at 11:30 AM on Jul 17:
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people usually know that after 5pm, my cell phone sits in my room on silencer and I usually don't answer my phone. If it's important they can e-mail me or call the house. Simple as that. It's amazing how people learn when they can call and when you're not going to put up with incessant phone necessity.
4. Christina (in green) said the following at 12:22 PM on Jul 17:
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Lol. I echo Mary Kate's view on cell phone use.
Seriously, the only reason for my having a cell phone is to avoid spam calls on my home phone (which is unplugged and never charged). My cell phone is the ONLY way my family and friends can contact me.
I was recently considering children and cell phone use...I came to the conclusion that my children will not have cell phones until high school. If there is any fear of seperation where a phone would be necessary, walkie-talkies can be that day's choice of communication =p
5. Adam said the following at 12:33 PM on Jul 17:
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Hahaha. I came across this article just as I was bemoaning the fact that I left my cell phone at home during lunch and now won't have it for a few hours.
Being without a phone isn't too bad. I've found that being without a text messaging device though can be more challenging. I like the idea of being connected to friends throughout the day.
I would say that my cell phone hasn't really affected my solitude much. If I really want solitude, I can turn the phone off.
What has been affected is my time with my friends. As texting has grown steadily over the past year among my friends, any time spent with them is not exclusive. There are all these zone-out times where one person or the other is texting. So it brings the quality of the time spent down - oftentimes quite considerably.
6. Sarah said the following at 12:39 PM on Jul 17:
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My family finally broke down and got cell phones in early 2007 and mine is with me pretty much 24/7, but I rarely spend more than an hour a day actually talking on it, if that. I use it more as a way to keep track of time (I don't wear a watch) and as my alarm clock.
I'd say that while I'm fairly dependent on my cell phone, I don't view it as a negative because it's for a variety of necessary reasons, and I, personally, have never found it to be a distraction from solitude.
And when I have children, they will not have cell phones until, at the earliest, they are driving. And have a job so they can pay for it themselves. :-)
7. Boston Matt said the following at 12:40 PM on Jul 17:
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I actually work at Tmobile and I can tell you this. A lot of people can be very very dependent on their phones. I have calls from girls scared because their dad is getting their phone bill without their permission (these are older girls) and calling the numbers on them.
I have many stories like this and the one thing I wonder after working at Tmobile for a year is by becoming more dependent on cell phones if we are starting to lose our freedom of self or for that matter self confidence? I make it a point not to be mastered by anything and sadly, everyday I see people who cannot make the same claim
8. Lyd said the following at 12:46 PM on Jul 17:
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I guess I don't quite see what all the fuss is about. Yes, I do have a cell phone but I am far from dependent on it for my daily life. I mostly call just my immediate family members or friends occasionally (every few weeks just to catch up). I wouldn't dream of letting it take over my life. I have never (yes, read never) text messaged anyone. My dad disabled the texting capabilities back when I was on his phone plan. Now, I am on a plan with my brother and grandparents. I come nowhere close to using up all my minutes. Probably because most of who I talk to are in network.
I have to carry a remote phone at work all the time and I can't stand it. Sometimes I turn it off at lunch because lunch is my time. I am not getting paid to take lunch so I refuse to use my lunch making business related calls. I haven't even given out my cell number to my employer. I prefer to keep it that way. I like my privacy and my solitude.
When I am at home I turn my phone off before I go to sleep. If someone needs to call me that bad they can call home or leave a message. I do lots of thinking when I am driving or waiting or just sitting in my room listening to music. I like having think time. If I used my phone as much as some people I would feel utterly exhausted and emotionally drained at the end of the day. I have already considered that if I had to cut back somewhere for financial reasons due to gas or cost of living, my cell phone would probably be one of the first things to go.
And lastly, I completely agree with Mary Kate. If you can't keep from taking calls or having a quiet moment, just turn your stinkin' phone off. It won't kill you. I promise.
9. Emily said the following at 1:01 PM on Jul 17:
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People who are constantly glued to their cell phones are annoying to me (especially the people who invite me over and then spend the entire time I'm there calling and texting other people to see if they want to come over, too), but I wouldn't get rid of mine for safety reasons, mainly. If my car breaks down and I need to call for help; if I'm going to be late and am already on the road; or if I'm meeting someone at a crowded event where it would be next to impossible to find each other without a way to contact each other and say, "Where are you? Okay, I'm coming to find you; you stay there!" I'm grateful for a cell phone.
I think the problem, if it is a problem, is not the cell phones themselves; it's the people who can't detach themselves from the phone for ten minutes to be in the real world with the rest of us.
10. Nicole (from Boston) said the following at 1:12 PM on Jul 17:
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So I'm somewhat dichotomous in my views on my cell phone. I text fairly often and when I leave my phone at home accidentally, I do feel rather like I'm missing a huge part of me. At the same time, I often don't answer my phone. Gotta love the caller ID. I'm actually better about texting back - I find it makes for a quicker and more convenient information exchange. Apparently I text more than I think I do - before I switched my plan over to unlimited texting, I went $19 over in texts in one month. Yeah. My dad (who sees the bill before I do and sees texting as totally and utterly ridiculous) wasn't very amused.
11. Tami said the following at 1:39 PM on Jul 17:
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Adam (5) I concur on the "time spent with friends" thing. Even some of my friends who used to be able to turn the phone off now seem to glance at it nervously all the time.
I don't answer my phone all that often, unless I *know* a call is coming through. Of course, my friends are aware of this, so they don't think I'm ignoring them (I hope!).
I'm actually more likely to respond to an email more quickly.
12. JessicaF said the following at 2:11 PM on Jul 17:
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I keep my cell phone on and close by most all the time,using it more as an alarm clock, and watch than anything. I don't get a lot of phone calls, and I do only answer when I can. If it's important, they'll leave a message. If not, I'll return missed calls when I have the opportunity.
Though I don't really enjoy talking on the phone, I do prefer getting a phone call rather than an email. It's easy to push an email aside and say "oh, I'll respond later..." and then entirely forget about it. If you really want me to take your spot in the Kids department Sunday, call me! You're much more likely to get a response, and it might actually be a YES!
I used to be the queen of text messaging (though i think it's much easier to say SMS) when I lived overseas, so coming back and being on Dad's plan has been frustrating...I have had to pay him close to $50 for texts in the last few months because that seems to be the only way to get a response from some people, and when in a leadership role, communication is necessary! It was hard to cut back once I allowed myself to send a few. :( But thankfully, that's all under control now!
13. Suzanne said the following at 2:22 PM on Jul 17:
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And here's a related issue...How many phone numbers do we actually know anymore? I have an easy-to-remember number, so I am many of my friends' "emergency contact," in case they're separated from their phone and need help. I really only know one or two numbers by heart anymore (including my childhood home phone number), and many numbers stored in my cell are not written down elsewhere. That makes me pretty dependent on my phone.
14. Cassandra Marie said the following at 2:25 PM on Jul 17:
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I agree with Emily. The problem is with people, not the cell phones. Cell phones themselves are a handy tool. As a college student, if I'd relied on house phones, I would have had 6 different phone numbers in the last 4 years. It provides consistency for those of us not yet at a stable location.Also, its good for meeting people, as mentioned, or safety. And its a good thing to keep in contact with friends or family that live too far to see but once a year. However, its like any other addiction. There are many things which are fine, and even good in moderation, but detrimental when taken too far.
It saddens me that people ignore those physically present with them for the phone. Sure, if theres someone you've been meaning to contact for days (weeks?) and you have a bit of empty time, then yes, use that time walking or driving (IF you can do it safely) to call that person. But don't pick up the phone just to avoid silence. And if you have another person with you, the phone needs to be turned off, or at least ignored. That person should have your attention.
15. Jade said the following at 2:26 PM on Jul 17:
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I hate cell phones, mine in particular. I got the cheapest model available from my provider (incidentally, it's the "children's" model) no bells and whistles, no internet, no camera, no voicemail. Nada. I don't like being tethered to work and usually I've found that my bosses abuse having both my cell and home number, so I've stopped giving out my home number and rigorously screen my cell calls. They don't like it but oh well. When I'm at work, I work hard (and long hours), when I'm off, I'm off. Ironically, I work in the IT/telecom industry.
16. Tom Neven said the following at 2:29 PM on Jul 17:
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Suzanne (#13)
I once called my brother on speed-dial, and for some reason or electronic hiccup, it got a wrong number.
The person on the other end helpfully asked, "What number were you calling?"
All I could answer was, "Umm ... two!"
17. BDB said the following at 2:47 PM on Jul 17:
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Yes...I'm old enough that neither I nor any of my friends had cell phones in college. While some people, like my sister, have switched over to cell phones only.
One time my boss threatened to take away my company cell phone because I'd only used 8 minutes one month. I prefer to not put my mobile number on my business cards. That cuts down on vendors and other people wasting my minutes/bothering me when I'm not at work. It also cuts way down on interruptions during meetings. Or church.
I worked with some people who had long commutes. One of them had a habit of calling me at 4:45 - on his way home. I guess he wanted to pretend he was working by calling me during my most productive time of the day (after 5pm). It's not like we could get anything done because he didn't have any of the relevant documents with him.
Though one ministry I was involved in had a guy who was very cell-phone centric. He ha a bad habit of calling during the middle of the service I usually attended to see if I could cover for someone. However, there is some wisdom in it. Our church campus is big enough that when people are covering someone else's timeslot, they might not know who they are supposed to meet up with. We've had volunteers leave because they couldn't find the person they were partnering with that day, and they couldn't find anyone else to get keys, access, etc. So, I persuaded everyone to let everyone else have cell-phone numbers. That way we can call each other before giving up. It works much better.
18. Jo said the following at 3:08 PM on Jul 17:
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If you want to know know the moment
I knew that I was on my own
I found I never learned your number
I only stored it in my phone...
Mysterious phone related story:
My brother's mobile phone dialed a random number once day when he'd accidentally left it unlocked in his pocket. The person he'd dialed called back later, trying to find out who had phoned them - and it was our great-uncle. My brother had never called him before and didn't have his number stored on the phone. To this day, we've never been able to explain how the phone mistakenly dialed his number, unless it was a complete coincidence. But the odds against that must be ridiculous!
19. Kristen said the following at 3:52 PM on Jul 17:
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I don't have any problems with cell phone dependency, but that's probably because I've never owned one. I guess that makes me one of the last holdouts, huh? :)
20. Sionel said the following at 6:34 PM on Jul 17:
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I must admit I've always hated my cell phone with a passion. I use it as an alarm cloak and occasionally as a watch, and it's on all the time, but I rarely carry it (never at work, since I'm a hospital doctor and cellphones are discouraged, and when I'm at home it lives in my handbag). If anything, I use texting to keep in touch with church friends, but I really try and keep its use to an absolute minimum. Being able to be reached anytime has no charm for someone who's tied to a pager at work ;)
I think they're wonderful in terms of convenience and emergency contact. I'm glad to have mine for things like calling roadside aid if my car breaks down...but in terms of social contact, I think they harm more than help.
Having said that - I use email constantly and work for an online game, so...it could be argued both ways, I guess!
21. Hannah C. said the following at 7:24 PM on Jul 17:
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As a college student, I found having a cell phone EXTREMELY useful. It meant that people were able to reach me without trying to guess whether I was on campus or at home, made planning things a lot easier, and came in very handy as a clock. Plus I didn't have to pay for a phone to put in my room - I didn't even have a dorm phone. When I get a house or apartment of my own, I probably won't have a land line - I have a cell phone and that's fine.
When I know I won't be able to answer my phone for long periods of time, I usually leave it in my room. I actually don't use it that often, though I have it on me nearly all the time.
22. Rachael said the following at 7:33 PM on Jul 17:
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Sadly, I check my e-mail more than my phone, I think. I'm not always in-tune w/ my phone. I got my first working cell phone in Japan, post-college, in 2002 or something. I used to text in Japan --often or fairly often I think --but somehow doing it now on my cell isn't 100% easy (because you have to take the effort to push an extra button for the phone not to guess what you're trying to say) -- it's okay, but phone texts are not my preferred method of communication.
23. Shannon said the following at 7:38 PM on Jul 17:
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I have a cell phone, love it, and don't consider myself dependent on it. People who bemoan that anyone can reach them day or night need to use the little button called "power" and turn it off.
If my phone rings (just like if I were at home and a regular phone rang) and I'm busy, I hit the button that sends it to voicemail. Voila - done. I leave my phone home from time to time with few ill effects. And I love text messaging... when it's useful. For example, I've had lengthy conversation via text message with people who have busy schedules and we can't seem to connect. Or to tell my husband I'm on my way home. Or to connect with my sister (who has an opposite schedule).
I think the problem is that people become "junkies" - but it's not the technology, it's the lack of discipline. I love having all this tech at my fingertips... and I love being able to walk away from it too. We just need to practice :)
24. Marc said the following at 8:31 PM on Jul 17:
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mary kate (# 1)
While I agree that you should be in control of your cell-phone and not the other way around, I caution you by letting you know that it is possible in taking that concept too far, as i;m afraid you might be doing,
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Do not feel hurt if your friends don't return your phone-calls... They're just merely doing to you what you do to them.
25. KJ said the following at 8:51 PM on Jul 17:
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I lived in an area with NO cell reception for a few years, and the last year I lived there I finally broke down and got a TracFone. I still have it, even though I now live where there is service, and I love it because I use it so little, so I don't feel like my money is being wasted on a plan. I frequently lose it, forget to charge it, or don't have it turned on, and my family and friends are baffled as to how I can live this way. And I don't understand how someone can be so tied to it that they can't go a day without having it on their person. It's great for emergencies and "I'm gonna be ten minutes late, so wait for me" but I don't need it glued to my ear all the time.
26. DannieA said the following at 9:41 PM on Jul 17:
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I know a lot of people don't want to have a land line nowadays, but I have the basic one because once I was a witness to a car accident and when I tried to call 911 on my cell, the call didn't go through the 3 times I called it...so beware of not having a land line, in case of an emergency, it's nice to know you can pick up your phone at home and know your call will go through to 911 emergency services.
27. Louise said the following at 5:51 AM on Jul 18:
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Ms. Hadley, I have you beat.
I did not get a cell phone until June 2004.
I resisted the idea for years, but the summer of 2004 I had to move in with my mother for a few weeks due to being "in between"
houses and it was the easiest way for me to have a phone during this interim period.
By August 2004 I could not go to the bathroom without the cell phone.
I usually do keep it off though.
Voice mail will always take messages.
28. tigger said the following at 11:53 AM on Jul 18:
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Well, cell phones....
Personally I don't like talking on the phone. I worked for 10 months in a call center and didn't like it before then...you can guess how I felt of 8 hrs a day 5 days a week for 10 months - 8 calls an hour. Also I'm a rather visual person. I understand everything much better when the person is in front of me. I can read them without much effort. I feel like you can't trust someone as deeply on the phone.
Even now, living abroad, I only call my real father, who has only a cell phone. For all else, it's emails and webcam.
I was both poor and fortunate enough that I never had a cell phone while in college, which was from 00-04. All of my friends despaired of getting a hold of me once we were separated, although I had a dorm phone and if not there, they knew where I'd be. If they couldn't find me, I didn't want to be found. Simple.
However things changed when I moved abroad to England. I didn't know right away whether I'd have a house phone, plus it was a foreign country, so I bought a "mobile" phone, as they're called here to help with job hunting and everything else. Twas a prepaid plan, and everything worked dandily.
When I got back to the US later, I got a prepaid plan on the US version of the UK company I'd had. I never use the phone, so I spent about $20 every month and a half.
Even now in Spain I'm on the same phone as two and a half years ago, prepaid, and I spend about 10-15 Euros a month, and I use it far more frequently to get in contact with colleagues to coordinate schedules. But I still don't speak on it much, partly cuz I don't like speaking in Spanish on the phone, and partly cuz speaking on the phone never replaces speaking in person.
29. Kate said the following at 1:51 PM on Jul 18:
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Once I get married in a month I am predicting my cell phone use will drop about 95%. I would not say I'm addicted to my cell phone, but use it daily because it's my only contact with my fiance. Seeing him in person would be preferred, but has not been a daily option for us since we have been living in different cities!
Come to think of it, most of the time I spend on the phone is when I am home and could be done with a land line, except for long distance charges.
We will still be having cell phones and not a land line though since most of our calls will be long distance and it's also important for driving mishaps. It's such an important safety enhancement for a young woman driving a not-very-new-car around lot in a mostly unfamiliar urban area.
30. James said the following at 6:42 PM on Jul 18:
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Honestly, I fought getting a cell phone (just like I fought getting a PC instead of a Mac, though I'm now finally going back to Apple :D), but like the PC, my parents made me when I went on a long summer road trip 4 years ago and the cell was for contacting them or emergency services or whoever if I had to and was in a remote location.
After that, I found out just how handy one was.
My cell phone is my ONLY phone (not counting the phone at my desk at work, which I use only for work-related calls), and it works great for that. It also works as a quick messenger from friends (texting, though I refuse to get a text plan, as I hate texting and hate it when I'm trying to talk to someone and they're busy texting their buddy rather than focusing on the person right across from them) as well as being able to be reached when needed.
I'm a mobile guy and I'd miss alot of the "hey, we're doing tonight, want to come?" calls. I don't get alot of calls or make alot of calls but when I do get or recieve them it's usually in an area where a normal phone would not be.
I refuse to get an advanced phone like a blackberry or iPhone. Mine is a simple cell phone with bluetooth so I can use my headset while driving and thus use two hands, and has that very handy address book. And that's all I really need. But I LIKE having it and having it just like that. And I usually keep the thing on vibrate so I can ignore the phone if I want to. I don't turn it off, as when I turn it back on, it could be hours or even a day till voice mails recieved or calls missed while it was off finally are registered on the phone. Whereas if it's just on silent and in my pocket then I can see whenever I pull it out if someone tried to contact me or not.
I think cell-usage in moderation like this is great. Though the texting-obsessed culture and the "umpteen-million-minutes" a month thing I see alot with other folks drives me NUTS. It's like their phone and their facebook are their lives.
I use fb and my cell phone to augment my social life, not be the primary conduit for them. They help me figure out what's going on and when and coordinate things. But that's it. They're tools.
31. Richard said the following at 1:55 PM on Jul 19:
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Well, I am relatively new to the cell phone myself.
I have to say that it's all about how you use it. I think everyone needs one for emergencies such as car breakdowns, or going to a friends apartment and not being able to contact them through the buzzer, or other contingencies.
I personally have not found it harms my ability to have solitude. One can simply turn if off or ignore calls if you want to.
32. Elizabeth (from Canada) said the following at 6:52 PM on Jul 19:
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Kristen (#19): I too am one of the last holdouts, I guess. :) I have never had a cell phone - my family has one that I can take with me on trips so that I can call in case of emergency. Otherwise, I am quite happy to avoid it. Mind you, I avoid the home phone, too. I don't like phones in general, and as someone else mentioned, I find it much more difficult to read people on the phone. I also find that I can't discuss important things over the phone. Face-to-face is best, and e-mail is an acceptable second. Plus, I have no idea where people can find the energy to talk to or text people all day. I feel exhausted just trying to keep up to date with my immediate family and closest friends, and I see my friends only once a week or so.
33. Leah said the following at 12:17 AM on Jul 20:
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I hate it when a person is ONLY contactable by mobile phone and don't have a landline (unless there's a good reason for it). In Australia, calls to mobiles are an awful lot more expensive than to landlines, unless you're both with the same provider and that provider has a special deal for calls to other phones hosted by their company.
I resisted getting a mobile and only got one when I was 18 and in my second year of uni (old, relative to all my friends) and my (then) boyfriend gave me his old one when he got a new one. That was in 2005, and I just recently got a new one (for $70, brand new!)
If I don't want to take calls on my mobile at certain times, I just turn it off. I always get missed calls or SMSes straight away after turning it back on (if there are any waiting). I don't often make calls on it and usually only text. And even then, it's usually only short texts- ie, "Running late, be there in half an hour" or an answer to a question someone has SMSed to me.
I also hate it when people don't return calls on their mobile phone. I don't mind if it's not straight away, as I understand they have a life, but really, what is the point in having voice mail if you don't return calls? Simply get rid of your voice mail if you're not going to return the call. It's rude.
I do freak out slightly if I realise I've left the house without my mobile and without my husband. If we're at separate places and not at home, it's the easiest way to get in contact if necessary. But then I realise that I'm usually with other people whose phones I can borrow if necessary, or a pay phone, or the church's phone, or my work phone, or whatever. And then I'm over it :P
34. Karen said the following at 3:56 PM on Jul 20:
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The mobile phone is a very useful technological invention. Once you've figured out all the nifty things your phone can do, you realise your life would be more difficult without it. Does this mean we're 'dependent' on our mobiles? Only to the extent that we are also dependent on our computers, motor vehicles, fridges, microwave ovens, indoor plumbing etc.
My life would be a lot more difficult to run without my mobile. I'd probably miss out on work and social engagements, I'd lose people in shopping centres, I wouldn't have the ability to call someone in an emergency, etc. However, I think my life would be made more difficult if I couldn't have a fridge. Why don't people write articles "Are you addicted to your fridge?"
35. Sarah Riley said the following at 6:02 PM on Jul 20:
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I got my first cell phone in early 2000 for one reason only -safety, and I made exactly two calls a week (this phone didn't have the capacity to text). Two nights my lectures would go so late that by the time I got to the end of the line it would be 10:30pm and in a bad neighbourhood so my parents would come meet the bus.
The only other option was to use the pay phone on campus to ring home and give an estimate of what time/place to meet me, run down the road and hope to catch the bus I said I'd be on. Problems happened when the bus was early or late or broke down or my parents forgot!(as it had been a good 75 mins before that I'd called)
It was only in August 2004 when I bought and started paying for my very own phone that it became a tool for social contact. Usually, people texting last minute change of plan when calling home would be futile as I'm already in transit.
I only make calls in emergencies, so I only get calls in emergencies. If I text a question I expect to be answered, likewise I answer questions asked of me, however, I don't text back if it's not important or I'll be seeing the person in the next day or so -we can talk face to face then.
So even though I'm "on:" 24/7 no one bothers me by the trivial and that's the way I like it.
Basically my cell is just a glorified watch and alarmclock. I'm much more likely to use email to communicate the details (although my fisrt call is still to the good old landline).
36. Nicole Y said the following at 8:29 AM on Jul 21:
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It really bothers me when I am meeting with an appointment at work, and the person answers their cell phone in the middle of my conversation with them. All people need to know how to use the silencer button, or better yet, the off button. It also drives me crazy when people sit and text while doing other things. An example, I was at a pampered chef party and afterwards we were just socializing, except that several people were in and out of the conversation because of incoming text messages....just plain RUDE. Don't try to have two conversations at once, either leave the room and text, or put your phone away so that you can give those with you your attention. Even though it's not verbal, texting is still a converstaion, and you can't have two conversations at once!
37. Joshua said the following at 3:50 PM on Jul 24:
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In my work, I see fellow young people on cell phones all the time. Working at a driving school, it's nice to be able to call the instructors when they are out teaching students in the cars.
Recently, though, I've had to have my phone on me much more often, so that people can contact me or my wife (as they call me if she doesn't answer).
I used to just leave the phone in my dorm room and go hang out in the library or sit outside for a long time to enjoy some quiet, and people thought I was weird. I always thought it was weird that people needed to have phones with them all the time.
38. Elizabeth H. said the following at 6:55 AM on Jul 25:
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You guys have it easy. The dependency is much worse in Russia, where I live. I can identify with Winner's comments. Having a cell phone is convenient when you're away from home say 7 am-11 pm and there is just no way at all to use a home phone. But I do hate being "reachable" at any time. People act suspicious if you don't pick up your phone, and turning it off is a no-no. And of course being subjected to other people's conversations is a bit irritating.