Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Great Debates
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-16-2009, 05:03 PM
 
Location: A Nation Possessed
25,305 posts, read 18,459,268 times
Reputation: 22169

Advertisements

Cell phones and cigarettes??? What? Sound sorta like like a Dwight Yoakam song? Just bear with me…

Back in the fifties and early sixties, cigarettes were very much a part of the ‘in’ culture. Just watch a few movies from the time; you’ll see what I mean. As a young child, I recall smoking in public places being extremely common. No one gave it a second thought. I don’t want to bother looking the stats up, but the percentage of smokers was quite high--maybe 60%???

Flash to 2009. Cell phones are very much a part of the ‘in’ culture. Just open your eyes and you will see cell phones in the hand of or attached to ear of most everyone. They are everywhere. Again, I don’t know the statistic and I’m too lazy to look it up--maybe 90%. Anyway… that’s all fine and dandy.

BUT, let’s play a ‘what if’ game. Could cell phones turn out to be the cigarettes of the twenty-first century? What event began the demise of the cigarette? I’d say it was the issue of the Surgeon General’s warning about the potential ill health effects. Did everyone immediately stop smoking? No. It has taken many years to get to where we are now (basically the way we are on any issue)--polarized. We have those who smoke and are willing to take the added risk, and supposedly increase risk for those around them. Then we have the other end of the spectrum where people cry like babies if there is a hint of tobacco smoke in the air from someone five miles away, and the anti-smoker activist would rather kill a smoker as to look at him/her (thus becoming more of a hazard than the cigarette was).

What if… it were suddenly proven that the radiation emitted by cell phones was a significant hazard to the user, and more importantly, the people around the user (even more so than is the case for cigarette smoke). What if it were proven that ‘second hand radiation’ was a threat? I don’t want to debate whether this is possible or not (it has been brought up by scientists before, though). What I would like to discuss is what would happen if it WERE shown to be the case.

What do you think the public reaction would be? A huge segment of the population uses cell phones. Would they be willing to give up their ‘addiction’ knowing that it was causing harm to others? Would they care? Would those folks who are so militantly anti-smoking ‘give up’ their cell phones if they were on the other side of a similar issue? Would it drag on and on, or would all of the folks (who tend to be very vocal about public safety these days, BTW) immediately do ‘the right thing’ and kick their cell phone habit? Would we have ‘Cell Away’ and ‘Cellaholics Anonymous’? Maybe a ‘patch’ to put over your ear? Or would folks excuse themselves by saying ‘they need something in their hand’ (ear) or ‘it’s just a nervous habit’?

(by the way, I don’t smoke. So I’m not making the comparison to justify (or condemn) any personal habits or activities. I just see a POSSIBLE parallel if people start showing a high incidence of certain uncommon diseases in the future. May or may not be the case. I’m just asking what if it did happen.)

So, what do you think would happen, given that people tend to be all for our collective health and welfare unless it inconveniences them personally? And with cell phones it would be a HUGE inconvenience--probably even traumatic in the extreme--for some if the ol’ cellular were suddenly a ‘cancer stick.’
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-16-2009, 05:37 PM
 
1,387 posts, read 4,002,766 times
Reputation: 928
Personally, I would give up my cell phone if it caused all types of cancers and heart problems, like cigarettes. But at the end of the day, cell phones don't have that awful smell associated with them.

The smell of cigarette (and especially cigar) smoke makes me want to hurl!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 05:52 PM
 
Location: A Nation Possessed
25,305 posts, read 18,459,268 times
Reputation: 22169
Quote:
Originally Posted by Busch Boy View Post
But at the end of the day, cell phones don't have that awful smell associated with them.
This is true. Maybe if we all started lighting them on fire...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 05:54 PM
 
Location: Minnesota
1,761 posts, read 1,705,963 times
Reputation: 2541
Quote:
Originally Posted by Busch Boy View Post
Personally, I would give up my cell phone if it caused all types of cancers and heart problems, like cigarettes. But at the end of the day, cell phones don't have that awful smell associated with them.

The smell of cigarette (and especially cigar) smoke makes me want to hurl!
I see you point, but would like to add that although cell phones certainly don't "smell" they produce a never ending irritation to most of those around, just not with an odor.

I've been in plenty of places where I'd much rather have had a quiet smoker puffing away next to me rather than the loud jabbermouth that think's I must be interested in what he's having for dinner, what the person he is talking to is doing at that exact moment, hearing about his latest trials and tribulations with his kids, what he needs to pick up from the store on his way home....on...and on....and on.

We've on two occasions actually had people close to us in a movie theatre answer their ringing phone and carry on a conversation for a minute or two. There is NO way that is any less irritating to those around you than some quiet smoke wafting through the air.

I think everyone can relate to this.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 06:00 PM
 
1,387 posts, read 4,002,766 times
Reputation: 928
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper1372 View Post
I see you point, but would like to add that although cell phones certainly don't "smell" they produce a never ending irritation to most of those around, just not with an odor.

I've been in plenty of places where I'd much rather have had a quiet smoker puffing away next to me rather than the loud jabbermouth that think's I must be interested in what he's having for dinner, what the person he is talking to is doing at that exact moment, hearing about his latest trials and tribulations with his kids, what he needs to pick up from the store on his way home....on...and on....and on.

We've on two occasions actually had people close to us in a movie theatre answer their ringing phone and carry on a conversation for a minute or two. There is NO way that is any less irritating to those around you than some quiet smoke wafting through the air.

I think everyone can relate to this.

Cigarette smoke is quiet but I personally believe it smells awful. It also irritates my eyes.
And I agree with you about those cell phone yappers. They can be very annoying. But at the end of the day, I'd rather hear about Mary buying a house and John's kids going out of control than having a cigarette smoked in my face (I think its b/c I'm kinda nosey ). It's all subjective I guess.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 09:11 PM
 
Location: Victoria TX
42,579 posts, read 86,642,947 times
Reputation: 36642
I can't say people on cell phones really bother me that much. If I go to Burger King, maybe there is one person in there on a cell phone, and maybe there isn't. Talking to somebody who is not there, is no more annoying that hearing someone talk to their companion in the booth with them. We went through a stage where people talked overly loud on cell-phones, to show off that they have them, but now everybody has one, so they talk normally and are no more annoying than guys wearing baseball caps backwards. I got a pre-paid two years ago, and I've probably made about ten calls on it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 10:17 PM
 
Location: indiana
145 posts, read 300,821 times
Reputation: 114
I can understand about the smoker that is giving every one around them second hand smoke that might cause them health problems in the future.I would also like to add If my cell phone was a hazard I most likely would not give it up as well . I see people every day going down the road using there cell phone calling, typing .All cancer a side they both can kill now. So as far as the annoying factor goes we all do something that someone does not approve of .An if i was to find out the phone was like a cancer stick I would have to just add that to my list of things i will do outside.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2009, 11:38 PM
 
Location: Bradenton, Florida
27,232 posts, read 46,531,842 times
Reputation: 11081
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisC View Post
Cell phones and cigarettes??? What? Sound sorta like like a Dwight Yoakam song? Just bear with me…

Back in the fifties and early sixties, cigarettes were very much a part of the ‘in’ culture. Just watch a few movies from the time; you’ll see what I mean. As a young child, I recall smoking in public places being extremely common. No one gave it a second thought. I don’t want to bother looking the stats up, but the percentage of smokers was quite high--maybe 60%???

Flash to 2009. Cell phones are very much a part of the ‘in’ culture. Just open your eyes and you will see cell phones in the hand of or attached to ear of most everyone. They are everywhere. Again, I don’t know the statistic and I’m too lazy to look it up--maybe 90%. Anyway… that’s all fine and dandy.

BUT, let’s play a ‘what if’ game. Could cell phones turn out to be the cigarettes of the twenty-first century? What event began the demise of the cigarette? I’d say it was the issue of the Surgeon General’s warning about the potential ill health effects. Did everyone immediately stop smoking? No. It has taken many years to get to where we are now (basically the way we are on any issue)--polarized. We have those who smoke and are willing to take the added risk, and supposedly increase risk for those around them. Then we have the other end of the spectrum where people cry like babies if there is a hint of tobacco smoke in the air from someone five miles away, and the anti-smoker activist would rather kill a smoker as to look at him/her (thus becoming more of a hazard than the cigarette was).

What if… it were suddenly proven that the radiation emitted by cell phones was a significant hazard to the user, and more importantly, the people around the user (even more so than is the case for cigarette smoke). What if it were proven that ‘second hand radiation’ was a threat? I don’t want to debate whether this is possible or not (it has been brought up by scientists before, though). What I would like to discuss is what would happen if it WERE shown to be the case.

What do you think the public reaction would be? A huge segment of the population uses cell phones. Would they be willing to give up their ‘addiction’ knowing that it was causing harm to others? Would they care? Would those folks who are so militantly anti-smoking ‘give up’ their cell phones if they were on the other side of a similar issue? Would it drag on and on, or would all of the folks (who tend to be very vocal about public safety these days, BTW) immediately do ‘the right thing’ and kick their cell phone habit? Would we have ‘Cell Away’ and ‘Cellaholics Anonymous’? Maybe a ‘patch’ to put over your ear? Or would folks excuse themselves by saying ‘they need something in their hand’ (ear) or ‘it’s just a nervous habit’?

(by the way, I don’t smoke. So I’m not making the comparison to justify (or condemn) any personal habits or activities. I just see a POSSIBLE parallel if people start showing a high incidence of certain uncommon diseases in the future. May or may not be the case. I’m just asking what if it did happen.)

So, what do you think would happen, given that people tend to be all for our collective health and welfare unless it inconveniences them personally? And with cell phones it would be a HUGE inconvenience--probably even traumatic in the extreme--for some if the ol’ cellular were suddenly a ‘cancer stick.’
Where your logic fails is that cigarettes are still around, still legal.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2009, 10:21 AM
 
Location: A Nation Possessed
25,305 posts, read 18,459,268 times
Reputation: 22169
Quote:
Originally Posted by TKramar View Post
Where your logic fails is that cigarettes are still around, still legal.

No, no... that's what I'm asking (one facet). Which way would it go with cell phones? Would they hang around, even though (in this case) they were a public health hazard--a situation that is similar to cigarettes now? Or would they become illegal? In either case, how would the public react?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2009, 11:18 AM
 
5,273 posts, read 14,493,687 times
Reputation: 5880
Well, if we find that cell phones are hazerdous for our health, I suspect people would just keep using them and then sue the manufactureres when they got sick- just like so many do now.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Great Debates

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top