I feel sorry for kids my own age - Page 2

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 1:54pm

I usually only text while I'm at play rehearsal (& I can't talk) to my mom to tell her that we are almost done.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:05pm

That's actually a really good idea, because whenever I call my mom to tell her it's almost time to go, we can never hear each other over the background noise...

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:16pm

Oh, I know, when I call my mom from the food court to tell her to come pick up me and my friends at the mall, she totally can't understand a word I'm saying because of all the noise from Panda Express.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:46pm

Let me clarify. I really don't care who texts and how much. As long as it doesn't impact my life, they can text until their fingers fall off. But the reality is that these people seem to have to keep texting or the world will come to and end. So-as they are walking down a busy NY street, they have their heads down to text, and walk into me. Or-someone is texting while driving, and can kill with their car. OR-someone in retail is texting instead of being available to help you, or to do their job, period. Or-they're too busy texting to pay attention to you when you're speaking. Lovely folks.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:49pm

To the kids that are complaining about not being able to use their phones at school...

Once upon a time,
In a place, very much like the city you are living in,
People used to not have cell phones and if they wanted to talk with someone while at school, they would wait until recess and call them from the pay phone.

Or, if your parents had to get a hold of you for an emergency, they would call the front office and someone would have you brought to the office.

There is not ONE reasson why kids need to be on the phone while at school.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:54pm

I agree, Jane. It may not be the way I choose to communicate in the majority of instances I want to say something to somebody, but this is something a new generation is adapting as their method of choice. Way back when the cassette-playing Sony Walkman first became affordable, I had some visitors to the city come spend some time with me.

They were all proximately 8 years younger than me but I knew them from a job I had. Six of us met up and went out for lunch and on the subway ride and walk to the restaurant, one of the young women never took off her headphones the entire time. I was sort of appalled. She seemed completely isolated right there among her friends, and didn't she want to hear all of my entertaining anecdotes about life in the city?

I recently had a conversation with this woman, who know has a teenager of her own, and I recalled that day. She's very verbose and insightful now and she said, "Maybe I really didn't have anything to say back then."

So the moral for me is, just because somebody is one way at one point in their lives, doesn't mean they're forever thus.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:01pm

Well Namo, you're right, but I'm mostly concerned with their bad habits which cross into my life at that moment!

You should see how many people come to the theater, and as they're showing their tickets, they are on the phone, texting, or heavy into conversation with friends. They don't hear my directions to the theater, and then come running back asking me to repeat what I said. Some may not mind this, but I do. Especially because I'm pretty busy working.

[sally1112]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:06pm

As a teacher, it drives me insane when I am lecturing or we are having a class discussion and I look out and see three or four kids texting. It never fails that it is the students that need to be listening that are texting!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:12pm

Take their phone away!

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:16pm

I don't text in class, but I will admit, I am ADDICTED to texting, but my friend and I have this thing where we text each other when we see ppl wearing obnoxiously awful outfits lol It always makes my day to get a text from her :) she is so random lol

[Weez]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:19pm

I'd just like to say I had a phone phobia LONG before I had an email address or a mobile phone. I've also worked very hard so that my phone phobia is only an inconvenience rather than a totally debilitating thing.

I too feel sorry for kids Winston's age. I might be dead by the time the world goes to hell in a handbasket. But at this speed, *they* won't.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:20pm

Texting also makes people lazier, in some instances. My sister once texted me in the house, and I was in the room right next to her. She admitted she did it out of laziness too.

And if you think breaking up via text message is bad, try getting fired via one. I mean, what are these people thinking? That just makes the company look really bad.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:29pm

I know that there ARE people who propose via text message. My friend's mom was at a Robert Plant and Allison Krauss concert, and there was a big screen that displayed messages that audience members texted to it. She saw at least three marriage proposals up there... and not all of them got a positive response, either.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 3:38pm

"My sister once texted me in the house, and I was in the room right next to her."

She couldn't yell?

[danmag]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:06pm

It's only a matter of time before they uncover some texting-related injury, like Carpel Tunnel syndrome. I'm sure both my kids will have it, the little texting monsters...

[Weez]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:22pm

"My sister once texted me in the house, and I was in the room right next to her."

She couldn't yell?

I sometimes communicate with my sister via Facebook while we're in the same house. Because if we yelled, we'd wake up her kids, and they would both be cranky for hours. :P

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:23pm

I was watching a news story last night that said Doctors are waiting for reports to come out to show that using a cell phone causes brain damage. It also was linking wi-fi signals to doses of radiation.


That's going to explain a LOT.

[danmag]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:27pm

Diva, that's why I think I would rather my kids text!! At least they aren't holding the cell phone up to their heads getting brain cancer!

[StockardFan]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:58pm

Diva, my husband swears when he is on his cell phone too much it makes his head hurt. And unfortunately because he works from home and/or the car that's the only way work communicates with him (besides e-mail). He's given up on the bluetooth.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 5:45pm

My friend did a science experiment last year for the science fair about the effect that prolonged cell-phone use has on memory or something like that.

I actually can't remember what the results were. But it's not because of cell-phone usage.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 5:59pm

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 6:30pm

Have to admit, texting someone when you're in the same room is them does have its usages beyond being antisocial...

on many an occasion if it looks like something is up with someone, its better to text them and ask rather than make a deal out of it by taking them out the room or flat out asking in front of an audience.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 6:52pm

I'm sure I'm very much in the minority on this thread, but I'm going to state my point and go on my merry way.

I don't see the problem with most of this. Obviously, the trying to find the phone while driving and killing someone is a huge problem. But everything everyone is talking about is the point of technology. We don't condemn anyone for using a stove even though they could be making a fire out back to cook their food. Same with cell phones. What's the difference between yelling to the next room and texting? Or texting while on the treadmill to keep from boredom? It's just advances in technology that I don't see the problem with. Of course, there are some places where the phone puts you or other people in danger which is unacceptable. Or if you're doing it in class and not paying attention - well then you're just stupid. But I don't think it's any great feat to not have one, or anything to be proud of. Just use it correctly.

There, I've said my peace.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 7:05pm

If I may address some of your issues raised:

"We don't condemn anyone for using a stove even though they could be making a fire out back to cook their food. "

I don't see where using a stove could bother anyone else.

"Or texting while on the treadmill to keep from boredom? "

What's sad here is that the texter can't direct their attention to the workout-he/she must be in contact with someone else at all times, it seems. I could extend this point to the poor texter becoming bored with the person they are spending time with, and must text someone else. I'm sorry, but that to me is inexcusable.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 4/5/09 at 9:20pm

Winston, I feel bad for anyone that has to share a dorm with you.