Each to their own I suppose

The sub-tropical evening was vibrant, there was so much going on.  A few metres away a flamenco troupe were providing great entertainment.  Those enjoying cafe society were enchanted.

A couple, early forties I would say, took their seats. Totally oblivious to the occasion, and even to each other, they spent their time with their heads jammed tight inside their smart phones.  In truth, this is now common practice. Seems such a shame to me but each to their own I suppose.

Hi Mike - I really, really don't mean to be horrible, but would you not be better off putting your pontifications into your blog, facebook page or twitter?   They don't really seem to be forum contributions at all.  Unless you start a thread on - well - personal observations.

Sorry - people might come on and say they disagree, I just don't think these forums are for this kind of comment.

Surely, a  forum is precisely for anyone to make any comment they want, provided it fits with the parameters of the forum rules.  After all you don't have to comment if you don't want to.  I find Mikes posts always interesting and informative.  This one spotlights a common soocial phenomenon which seems to allow individuals to be oblivious of everything going on around them without any condemnation of their attitudes or lack of social cocern,  It seems a fact these days that everything that warrants attention is happening somewhere else, requiring a smartphone to be the centre of the world.  No matter how rude it seems, or how dangerous, the phone now demands constant attention. For those of us interested in developing social attitudes this is just the sort of thing I like to read, so more power to your elbow Mike.

Once upon a time we did not have mobile phones...and everyone survived just fine. Nowadays, a large majority of people spend virtually 16hours a day with one in their hand, pocket or within hands reach. Twitter and Facebook have a lot to answer for!

It amazes me how many people are addicted to their phones and the rudeness of people who are oblivious to manners, when using them in public. It drives me mad...and I know many feel the same way.

Similar to the cafe incident, last week I was in a queue for shopping and a woman in front spent the whole time her shopping was going through and while she was SLOWLY bagging up on the phone. The cashier was not impressed and we behind her had to wait far longer to be served, due to her inconsideration. 

My local post office has now had a sign placed above the counter, refusing to serve customers on mobiles. As have a few other places. 

I must be the only person I know without a I-Phone, Smartphone etc and even rarer, keep it switched off, to use in emergencies only. 

Unfortunately, with further advances in technology this trend "ain't going nowhere" and it'll just get worse...more people, more phones! 
 
 

Just to reiterate - I do not in any way object to any ramblings or personal experiences being shared but I think a forum is a medium for discussion.   The kind of stuff I am talking about is the one off observational stuff which I think belongs elsewhere.   Of course one does not have to reply, but one does have to open it and read it before realising it is just an observation.  If I want to read observations I go to blogs (which I don't actually -probably because I don't want to read that kind of observation, or Twitter (which I definitely don't because I don't want to waste my time), or my Facebook page (which I do very rarely).

I am not commenting on the quality of anyones personal thoughts, but in my opinion, they are not the stuff of forums.

I'm now wasting my time with Roly2, funny old world, we complain about things and all we have to do is ignore them.

When in hospital after a major operation in Spain a nurse complete with dangly earrings, rings and jangly bracelets supposed to be helping me out of bed only had one hand free because she was chattering away on her phone. I think it was something about what they were having for tea because she kept saying 'patatas'!

And now this has turned into an interesting, and in my opinion, a proper forum discussion!!   That is fine - I have lost count of the number of times I have been infuriated by people who stop conversations in order to answer a text.  

But I will also say this haydngj - I have not been rude.   I merely made a comment - nothing in anyway personal.  Indeed the OP often puts up interesting forum comments - which is why I open them.   But I think your comment is certainly borderline rude to me, and I cannot understand why anyone would waste time coming into a forum to do that.

It wouldn't surprise me if they had been watching Flamenco on YouTube to be honest and probably looked up on stage just as the dancers finished. It seems to be the way of the world nowadays

One of the advantages in many pueblos though these days is that by constantly looking down at your phone screen as you stroll round town, you can also keep one eye out for the inevitable dog mess that lurks too. In fact, by side stepping it niftily (every few metres in some place) and maybe stamping your feet to get the mess off when youve lacked a certain attention (I'm thinking here of the 'payback' of the Sangria Shuffle back from El Bar Boracho in the dark of night) you could easily be thought, by the locals, to be bringing your own form of Bristish flamenco to the streets to the town!

Anyway its not just a British ailment - it's definitely global too. Goodness, my friend even uses his for phone sex with is girlfriend. Nothing too odd about that, I hear you utter. Well, at the time they are sharing the same bed........