Probably it’s not only me who got upset with someone who kept checking his/her smartphone during some activity.
I got upset at my ex when we were camping. We were by the fire and playing a game with kids. It was one of those games that everyone takes turn and says something following certain rules (e.g. An old lady went to the market).
While we were playing, he checked his iPhone whenever it made the noise ‘Ding!’. After a few ‘Ding!’s, I asked him if it was anything important. It wasn’t. It was the ‘what’s up?’ type of conversation from one of his friends who he sees all the time. Here we were, kids and me traveling from far away to visit him to spend the precious time with him. And in the middle of family fun time, he was checking the usual unimportant conversation consistently.
It made me think if I was overreacting with people’s habit with the smart phone.
Today more than 90% of people carry a smart phone. I am one of the rare people who don’t have any mobile phone. Maybe it’s not him but me who doesn’t understand the modern normality and acceptable social behavior in 2016.
So I googled (at least I am modernised in this manner) to see how other people are thinking about it.
Here we go – smartphone etiquette. It’s been a bit of serious social concern.
I felt better. Many people are also questioning about people’s uncontrolled use of a smartphone.
I totally agree with the fact that a smartphone is convenient. You can access to the information easily. You can connect with your friends. You can ask a question. You can update where you are and what you are doing. You can do many things so easily.
It is great that you can do so many thing so easily. On the other hand, that convenience makes you stare at the tiny window for a long, long time.
I won’t say you should throw the smartphone away. It’s not really a practical and reasonable solution.
But when you forget the phone, you may realize how adventurous the world can be. Like the camping olden days with no motorhome and power. In the pitch dark, sitting by the fire, hearing the sound of silence under the stars.
Once in a while, look up from the tiny window. The world is actually quite interesting as much as what you see on the internet.