Cellular Phones and other Cultural Phenomena

What has happened to us? I thought we were supposed to be more evolved, sensitive and kind. Informed and civilized is what we like to think we are. Well almost every time I'm with a cellular phone user I feel like I need to write a book on etiquette and use of these devices. It's hard to articulate here, in just a blog post. And I have fear of offending many of you that I know, so cowardly I go, to this written exploration to express my concerns.

My many children serve as great teaching tools, ( no I'm not calling you "tools" here.) But they, themselves, give me enough 'fodder' to fill a book. And still with no particular person in mind I begin. Hoping this will shine some light on a concern.

Do you remember,  and are you old enough to picture the 1st cellular devices? They were as large as a brick and needed to be cradled in a small bed-like rest in your car. They were awkward; YET convenient. Messages that were necessary were given. One almost needed to sit still to use them and you really couldn't multi-task with them. You wouldn't have wanted one in your purse, let alone store in a pocket or a belt anywhere! That was then.

And now they never leave us; and have become a permanent part of us, and are symbolic relics really in what we have become and/or are morphing into.

  But first my perspective, SO LONG AGO; when I was a young preteen discovering myself and my place in my world I invented a personal motto by my keen observation of the trials of the teenagers just older and ahead of me. It was this: There's no Reason for rudeness. I have felt the wisdom of this young conclusion serve me almost half a century!

Now observing us and 'cell' usage I almost can imagine the argument against my truth, from some seemly astute soul whispering, "Yes there is a Reason, a cell phone". For "it" takes precident over and above everything. This means people, places, occasions, conversations, circumstance, manners and a multiplicity of urgencies.

 It rings. For most the very least, It must be looked at. And if I can or choose to I will ask you to wait and take the call. And if not able to interrupt 'us', I will look at it. Or I may awkwardly/'innocently' sneak a peeking glance, especially when you are not that 'important' or 'scary' to me, because you have no boundaries with me.

 I will then make a judgement, decide whether to put a conversation/discussion (person) aside and "take" the call.

Waiting parties will then get a chance to wait and wonder: who I am to you, for you to be there with me but not really....(since you're taking the interruption)?. I'm thinking what is my part in this? Do I wait? Walk away? I'm also wondering when you'll get back to what we were doing? (Or end the call)? And what does it mean about you and me? Someone not even present, gets you, while I wait? You may politely excuse yourself here, but is it polite?

People of "supreme character" seem better at cell phone usage than just us "standard folks", or do they just have better manners?

If you have a large amount of courage and no ego issues ask someone you trust how it makes them feel when someone gets a call, and they take the intrusion? If you want to further risk; ask a child how they feel? Then query yourself about what you think about when someone you care for takes a call? Or doesn't? Are any of us strong enough to just let it ring? Not look? Just continue our conversation and then check our messages like we used to, whenever we get a free moment?