In Vancouver everyone has a mobile phone. A cell phone. A celly. A moby. Cell phone etiquette is fairly advanced in most circles, and usually it’s pretty standard issue for BC- be cool. Just like we are around actors and other celebs, we’re cool with the cell phones. We know when it’s cool to be yapping, we know when it’s not.
In Victoria, I’d say maybe three in ten or twelve have phones. I’m using my own crowd as my sample field. And what you see in restaurants, malls, downtown and around. You know what I’m saying.
Far fewer phones. And I guess the relative rarity of the phones means phone etiquette is a little farther back along the evolutionary ladder. Remember when mobile phones first really caught on? Ringers were loud, conversations were interrupted to answer them, even at the table. And they’d ring at the movies!
It’s getting better. Used to happen two or three times during a movie, and they’d even have the temerity to attempt a conversation. Not so much anymore.
I’d be lost without my moby. In fact, if I lost my moby I’d be durn lost. All my numbers are in there, and most of the birthdays. Haven’t gotten around to backing it up. And no land line. I’d be flailing around with email trying to catch everybody up again.
It is Way Of The Future. Everyone will have Personal Communications Systems. They’ll get smaller, and they’ll get bigger, some will do more and some will evolve to do less. Specialization. But rest assured- just like tv, this is no fad.
There used to be one excuse- there are times when you don’t WANT to be reached. Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to work the power button.
Everyone will have one. And this isn’t a Bad Thing. Just like the Web is making it more and more difficult for the media or the governments to pull the wool over our eyes, instant and constant communication will make it a trivial thing to bust the evil doer. No more silenced witnesses, because the whole world is watching.
And I’m not overly concerned with the Big Brother factor. Not at the moment anyway. This sort of thing tends to be self-monitoring. If people want privacy they’ll always be able to find it. The power button, yes?
So I give it maybe by this time next year for the number of mobys in my crowd to double. Maybe more.
It’s just so damn easy.
*comment*
;)
COMMENT:
…I’m right behind you guys, I think.
I’ll probably have one in no time, even though I hate the damn phone.
what a sassy minx! come visit, I say. don’t forget to say hi, I say. leave a comment, I say.
a handful o’ spank, locked & loaded, I tell ya!
(as she spot-welds me to an oil tanker)
Cell phones, eh? don’t got one. don’t want one. unfortunately, they’re addictive and eventhough both rocket scientists and those that are not all know where the power button is, they are too addicted to the accessibility that they barely use it. it’s not about etiquette anymore, it’s about addiction. Take email for example, now that I have it continuously available at home, I’ll even have a glance at the computer when having company over, clicking a few buttons, feeling important, popular, etc. I know it’s rude, but sometimes I just can’t help it. In MY case, I’m just not convinced yet that the convenience factor of cell phones will dominate. On a related note of accessibility, a friend told me I HAD to get onto ICQ. I asked him why??. I haven’t heard back….
BUT, on a selfish note, I am glad that folks around me have cell phones cuz it makes it much easier for me to reach them. :)
Except when they don’t have voice mail! Bastards. :)
ah, yes, aaron. how could I forget to mention those bastards who don’t have voice mail. they drive me bonkers! if they (and by ‘they’, I mean ‘he’) had voice mail, they’d probably turn off their phones more often in public places since they really wouldn’t be missing any calls. oh well… thankfully, I can adapt.
Regarding etiquette:
I can’t believe how WEIRD some people are with their cell phones. Tonight at dinner, one of my friends left her cell phone on and actually answered it at the table. She sat there and had a conversation for a few minutes until she eventually went to finish it outside. This happened three bloody times! What the hell?! Is it just me, or is that just weird?
All is not lost however…
http://www.dolphinsex.org
;)
See? We haven’t got the etiquette locked down yet. Correct procedure is as follows:
– phone on table
– phone rings
– check if call is reeeely worth taking
– reject call to underline importance of dining partner
– if call must be accepted, make humble apologies and keep it under a minute
– if call is urgent and is going to take longer, answer phone, *then* apologize to dining partner so that the calling party knows you’re busy, then excuse yourself from the table and be as brief as possible.
– buy a round
The last one is optional, but will almost always get you forgiveness.
Also- dolphin sex? What ARE you trying to tell us, dear eccentric and secretive Jaime?