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Another "flipper" here. Bought my first cell phone in 1997 because I thought I should have something in case of an emergency with my then-vehicle--which did occur two weeks after I bought it, there have been other situations along the way since. I don't chat on the phone but I've sure used it plenty over the years.
I think smart phones are fun but I've never been into texting--I blocked that feature on my flip phone due to an ancient plan that charges me for texts. I have enough screen time between the desktop at work and my laptop at home. I looked into buying a smarty a few years back but I just couldn't justify the additional expense (going by what the price difference was at that time and I have no idea what it is now).
I rather enjoy how at work I'm no longer required to make small talk in the break room because everyone is on their phones. I do, however, grow weary of people who are so oblivious to their surroundings that you have to get out of their way before they crash into you when walking down the hall--and I certainly don't want anyone crashing into me on the road.
I've seen the most phone-zombies when people-watching at the airport, and it reminds me of Star Trek's characters The Borg--"We are Borg, resistance is futile"--when they were all walking around plugged into the collective.
The other thing I'm noticing is people with earbuds in all day long and laughing out loud--also all day long--at stuff they're listening to on their phone. Or you ask someone (whose earbuds aren't readily visible) a question, only to discover they haven't heard anything you've said.
Maybe if I wanted to text a lot of people it would be different but I find I can keep in touch enough through emails and if you REALLY need to talk, call me--after all, you have a smartPHONE.
I don't see a need to give it up entirely. In my case, I admit that I use it a lot during the day, but I do put it down while I'm doing other things. I leave it in the house when I'm outside, but I do check it immediately when I came back inside. I am comfortable without it for several hours at a time, but I do like having it handy. I think of it as entertainment, information, accessibility, not as a complete waste of time....it's useful.
Yes, I'm addicted, but I think it's an okay addiction for me. It makes me happy and keeps me connected, doesn't interfere with the important parts of my life.
This all does sound like something an addict would say.
Another "flipper" here. Bought my first cell phone in 1997 because I thought I should have something in case of an emergency with my then-vehicle--which did occur two weeks after I bought it, there have been other situations along the way since. I don't chat on the phone but I've sure used it plenty over the years.
I think smart phones are fun but I've never been into texting--I blocked that feature on my flip phone due to an ancient plan that charges me for texts. I have enough screen time between the desktop at work and my laptop at home. I looked into buying a smarty a few years back but I just couldn't justify the additional expense (going by what the price difference was at that time and I have no idea what it is now).
I rather enjoy how at work I'm no longer required to make small talk in the break room because everyone is on their phones. I do, however, grow weary of people who are so oblivious to their surroundings that you have to get out of their way before they crash into you when walking down the hall--and I certainly don't want anyone crashing into me on the road.
I've seen the most phone-zombies when people-watching at the airport, and it reminds me of Star Trek's characters The Borg--"We are Borg, resistance is futile"--when they were all walking around plugged into the collective.
The other thing I'm noticing is people with earbuds in all day long and laughing out loud--also all day long--at stuff they're listening to on their phone. Or you ask someone (whose earbuds aren't readily visible) a question, only to discover they haven't heard anything you've said.
Maybe if I wanted to text a lot of people it would be different but I find I can keep in touch enough through emails and if you REALLY need to talk, call me--after all, you have a smartPHONE.
Boy you hit the nails right on the heads. In a room of people, I'm the one who is relaxing doing nothing...everyone else, you got it...exercising and getting arthritis of the fingers.
And the thousands dollars spent on these and then so many complain about the cost of health insurance.
Eddie! The person who finally made me sign up and post here in CD. I've missed you!
I've been thinking a lot about the smartphone addition lately. I too was late to the party. My husband bought me a cell phone in the late 90s and I never even had it on. Used to stay in the car most of the time. I was in IT but I didn't see a need for it. I figured out how to get stock quotes through it daily and that amused me for awhile.
In 2007 he bought me an iPod Touch. I used it in the car for music -so much better than piles of CDs!
I didn't get an iPhone until late 2011. I got my second one in 2016. My current one is the SE, so nothing too fancy. I hate how big phones have gotten!
- I like that I can get emails on it as I have a business, but I am selective about which email addys are loaded on the phone.
- Music is a necessity, but I want it all on the phone, nothing in the cloud (I don't have a large data plan)
- I also love the GPS feature and some tracking features I use when biking or running (not Strava, again all on the phone)
- In the past month I've started to use Siri to setup reminders for me and I wish I'd done that years ago. I feel like I've wasted trees of sticky notes prior to this
- I like that I can mark my location using Siri if I see something interesting while driving
- Decent camera in my pocket, but I have a good camera otherwise
- It's my clock and alarm. My eyesight is poor (I wear contacts) and my SO has the nightstand. If I didn't have something under my pillow or on the windowsill, I'd never know what time it was. I used to use a sports watch but I don't like wearing things on my wrist so that went away quickly.
- I admit I use it to waste time when bored at work
I think the start of my decline into the e-world was with a laptop. That let me get comfy on the couch and still surf and work. Or work in bed. Not good.
I spend WAY too much time on FB (I was late to that party too) and recognize that. I've been cutting back. I really miss forums like CD, FB is a useless replacement for informational stuff.
I have an iPad and love that for books and traveling. I'm able to back up photos to it. I take notes and tape lectures. Email. Tons of books. I bought a 64gb in 2012. My only regret is how quickly they obsolete with the OS updates.
I sync books to my iPhone as well but honestly find it way too small for comfortable reading of a book. I read quickly so all I'm doing is scrolling. I've been reading real books more lately. I enjoy reading on the iPad more than I thought I would but I'm not going to replace my entire library.
This fall I've also been making an effort to work on projects later into the night, instead of sitting in front of the TV with the laptop (obviously not tonight)
There are days and nights I specifically leave the phone upstairs. Of course I have people who for some reason feel that 9:30pm - 1am is an appropriate time to touch base - it's not.
If I don't feel I'm reclaiming enough of my life, I'll start leaving the laptop upstairs - I actually used to when I worked from home in 2010. I was reading 5 or more books per WEEK then, because I was really strict about stepping away from everything when I "punched out".
One thing I do NOT do is use it when with my SO or family. I feel that's incredibly rude. My SO never touches his either which is great. Wish I could say the same about my siblings!
The internet has turned into a huge time suck, and there are days I wonder if that's the plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjs123
The other thing I'm noticing is people with earbuds in all day long and laughing out loud--also all day long--at stuff they're listening to on their phone. Or you ask someone (whose earbuds aren't readily visible) a question, only to discover they haven't heard anything you've said.
Not long ago I was in a doctors office. A couple walked in together and instead of talking to each other, they each brought out their phones and started showing each other LOUD videos and laughing like crazy. I thought it was completely inappropriate.
Last edited by WouldLoveTo; 12-06-2017 at 07:56 PM..
I don't know why, but it repulses me that the second there's any kind of down time or lull, everyone has their phone out immediately.
It's because you recognize addiction when you see it. And you recognize people who have had their brain altered so that their brain craves the constant stimulation, craves the continual rewards of notifications and messages, craves the jolts of dopamine that the device gives, and are helpless in not giving in to the dopamine, serotonin, and constant stimulation.
Waiting 20 minutes at the DMV...hop on Facebook. Walking 200 feet from the produce section cereal isle...check some emails. Ohhhh, was that a ding? Maybe I have a text!!! Visiting the parents, but not really into the conversation...check out the specs on the new iPhone or browse through Tinder.
My wait at the DMV has never been 20 minutes. More like 2 hours. So I will read on my phone. I can do some reading for my work, or I can browse various internet forums, or read emails, or text my kids, etc.
Grocery store? My shopping list is on my phone. So yeah, I'm checking my phone, because I am reading my grocery list and checking off items.
Text ding? Yep, I'll check it if it's a text notification from a specific person - one of my children or my 82 year old father. Each has a specific notification on my phone. Generic texts can wait.
Visiting people? I can pull up pictures about trips we've been discussing. Or find that email that we are discussing. Or check my calendar on my phone to see if those dates work. Or immediately enter our next plans so nothing else gets scheduled. Or....yep, I can zone out if the same story starts to get told for the 20th time about people I have never met.
It's because you recognize addiction when you see it. And you recognize people who have had their brain altered so that their brain craves the constant stimulation, craves the continual rewards of notifications and messages, craves the jolts of dopamine that the device gives, and are helpless in not giving in to the dopamine, serotonin, and constant stimulation.
Gotta wonder if having this constant “fix” can make other things in life less enjoyable. Do people ever get used to the fix and need even greater amounts of connectivity/entertainment to have that feeling? Do the simple things in life become mundane? Is there a place in life for just being bored and learning how to deal with it instead of pulling out the magical entertainment machine?
I personally feel everyone should make themselves go without for a period of days now and then. It is good to know what it is to be without it - our brains work differently, and there is indeed something healthy to not be tied to it constantly at least sometimes. Some people are better at putting limits than others, but a lot of people have let themselves become addicted and/or dependent and kind of slavish to it - responding to it more faithfully than to real living people. I personally have little need for one. The majority of things people do on it that I want to do I can for the most part do on a computer and I don't need to have it attached to me.
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I do, however, grow weary of people who are so oblivious to their surroundings that you have to get out of their way before they crash into you when walking down the hall--and I certainly don't want anyone crashing into me on the road. 
