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I didn't know under which heading to post this so I decided this place might be the closets. I think that there should be a place for general social issues and events etc. Anyway to the point I was going to make: I remember back in the 70s and 80s (before cell phones and computers) people used to go downtown for the simple fun of people watching. Many people would do that. It was fun and exciting to see how people carried themselves and guessing what they might be up to. The point is people noticed each other. Fast forward to today: No one even looks at anyone as they are walking or standing or whatever. Usually they are pecking away at their cell phones or talking to someone on their phones but I read that 20% of the people that you see talking on the cell phone aren't really talking to anyone. So they are trying to appear as talking to someone for some reason. Anyway people today are much different than back in the 70s and 80s. I wonder if others notice that also. Maybe some people can add to this thread.
I think this is highly individual. Personally, I've never understood "people-watching". Nobody I know does that. Wait, I take that back. I knew ONE guy who enjoyed that, but he'd been raised in Italy, where it's a big thing; going out to mingle in the crowds and "to see, and be seen", as he referred to it. I don't understand the fascination.
I also wouldn't generalize to all people "today". You might be able to generalize to the Millennial generation, but even then, generalizing isn't a good practice, because it's almost never accurate.
These rant threads about people being glued to their devices are getting tedious. Sorry OP, but we've heard this stuff umpteen times before, around the forums.
I think this is highly individual. Personally, I've never understood "people-watching"......
These rant threads about people being glued to their devices are getting tedious. Sorry OP, but we've heard this stuff umpteen times before, around the forums.
For those who are not glued to their devices....and also engage in some amount of people watching....it is interesting to see couples out to eat, each involved with their devices rather than talking with each other.
For those who are not glued to their devices....and also engage in some amount of people watching....it is interesting to see couples out to eat, each involved with their devices rather than talking with each other.
That's sad. But since you seem to be a fairly regular observer of this behavior. could you tell us: how often do you notice people 40+ doing this? Have you noticed any age-divergence in this phenom?
Well, of course. There's too much to touch on to even know where to start. What bothers me about younger people/people born in the 90s and 2000s (and maybe late 80s...basically, millennials and onward) and their impact on people born before the 90s is 1) how they have completely messed up dating and relationships and 2) how much immoral and trashy stuff they think is completely acceptable, which is making a lot of immoral and trashy stuff acceptable in our society. And those two things do go together. I mean, "friends with benefits," sleeping with someone on the first date or without a date ever taking place at all, having kids with zero intention of ever marrying the person you're having kids with, each kid having a different mother/father combo, etc. Good luck finding a decent person who is looking for anything romantic, traditional and a true commitment nowadays, or who doesn't feel entitled to screwing you the very first time you spend any alone time together. And people seriously wonder why the idea of ever dating again is completely unappealing to me...
Did you completely miss out the sexual revolution in the 60’s and 70’s terminology is different but don’t kid yourself into thinking baby boomers didn’t do the same thing.
For those who are not glued to their devices....and also engage in some amount of people watching....it is interesting to see couples out to eat, each involved with their devices rather than talking with each other.
Generally my husband and I don’t have our phones out when in a restaurant BUT when traveling we get them out to hunt down lodging for the night or local sites. . Sometimes we both get messages and photos of our granddaughter on WhatsApp and whip out our phones and talk about the photos and recently we have both had to keep track of our house sale alerts from our realtor. I’ve learned never to make assumptions about others reading their phones. Just as an aside I remember many times observing couples in pubs back in the uk who could sit for several hours and not say a word to each other. Technology has a
Changed but human nature hasn’t.
Generally my husband and I don’t have our phones out when in a restaurant BUT when traveling we get them out to hunt down lodging for the night or local sites. I’ve learned never to make assumptions about others who are reading their phones.
Though I hate when people do this in scenic areas, we found ourselves doing just that in Rome and Florence, trying to find our way through the narrow streets with map apps on our phone. The prior "me" would have thought: "What an idiot! Head down in phone, while wandering these wonderful historical streets!" No, we were just lost, LOL. But other than maps, we never looked at them.
Ruth, when we were just in Italy, we noticed this very phenomena of people-watching. Hence the prevalence of outside sidewalk cafes. We enjoyed those SOOO much, we never sat inside. Italians are beautiful, stylish people and we loved loitering in those cafes, people watching. And the historic surroundings, of course.
My parents used to sit in hotel lobbies where they we were not staying, just to people-watch. LOL.
Though I hate when people do this in scenic areas, we found ourselves doing just that in Rome and Florence, trying to find our way through the narrow streets with map apps on our phone. The prior "me" would have thought: "What an idiot! Head down in phone, while wandering these wonderful historical streets!" No, we were just lost, LOL. But other than maps, we never looked at them.
Ruth, when we were just in Italy, we noticed this very phenomena of people-watching. Hence the prevalence of outside sidewalk cafes. We enjoyed those SOOO much, we never sat inside. Italians are beautiful, stylish people and we loved loitering in those cafes, people watching. And the historic surroundings, of course.
My parents used to sit in hotel lobbies where they we were not staying, just to people-watch. LOL.
Yes the walking option on the phone gps has been essential when traveling overseas and in the USA.
Well, of course. There's too much to touch on to even know where to start. What bothers me about younger people/people born in the 90s and 2000s (and maybe late 80s...basically, millennials and onward) and their impact on people born before the 90s is 1) how they have completely messed up dating and relationships and 2) how much immoral and trashy stuff they think is completely acceptable, which is making a lot of immoral and trashy stuff acceptable in our society. And those two things do go together. I mean, "friends with benefits," sleeping with someone on the first date or without a date ever taking place at all, having kids with zero intention of ever marrying the person you're having kids with, each kid having a different mother/father combo, etc. Good luck finding a decent person who is looking for anything romantic, traditional and a true commitment nowadays, or who doesn't feel entitled to screwing you the very first time you spend any alone time together. And people seriously wonder why the idea of ever dating again is completely unappealing to me...
It's amazing how Society has gone to he11 in a hand basket, all within the last 25 years!
Well, of course. There's too much to touch on to even know where to start. What bothers me about younger people/people born in the 90s and 2000s (and maybe late 80s...basically, millennials and onward) and their impact on people born before the 90s is 1) how they have completely messed up dating and relationships and 2) how much immoral and trashy stuff they think is completely acceptable, which is making a lot of immoral and trashy stuff acceptable in our society. And those two things do go together. I mean, "friends with benefits," sleeping with someone on the first date or without a date ever taking place at all, having kids with zero intention of ever marrying the person you're having kids with, each kid having a different mother/father combo, etc. Good luck finding a decent person who is looking for anything romantic, traditional and a true commitment nowadays, or who doesn't feel entitled to screwing you the very first time you spend any alone time together. And people seriously wonder why the idea of ever dating again is completely unappealing to me...
With all due respect:
You can't advocate a social revolution of "Peace, Pot & Microdot" & not anticipate a bit of social DE-evolution.
You can't indoctrinate a population that women:
"Can have/do it all! You don't have to be married, kids just need a male role model; not a dad. There's nothing wrong with being a single parent; daycare is GOOD for kids. You have the right to be happy, no matter your mistakes ..."
& not expect for marriage to be devalued. We told men for decades that women didn't need them, barely wanted them & that they were little more than a sperm donor. Eventually; they said: "Okay."
You can't blame the Millenials for this; they are just swimming upstream in the aftermath of the first "Me" generation.
Oh no. You had a perfecting interesting query and so many people in here have stomped all over you rough shod about it. Sad state of affairs.
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terminology is different but don’t kid yourself into thinking baby boomers didn’t do the same thing.
