Old time social mores and manners articles and columns used to discuss the quantity of forks at a formal meal or how to calculate the value of a required gift. Today it's texting and other cell phone usage.
Last month, was it only a month plus ago?, when I was visiting family in the states, a New Jersey bus driver berated me for talking on my cell phone. I had been told to call my host as soon as I took off, so he'd know when to pick me up. I hadn't noticed the sign about "no smoking, no eating and no talking on the cell phone."
In Israel, besides smoking, there aren't too many forbiddens on buses. In the society I'm in, in which it's common to give and hitch rides, cell phone taking is barely accepted. Texting and a quick verbal message, along with apologies to the driver, are generally alright. Just make sure you have a silent keyboard.
I think that cell phones must be off, not on silent/vibrate, in the classroom. My students' attention spans and power of concentration were weak enough without a certain percentage eagerly awaiting a call. And that's besides using the phone as a cheating tool.
And at social events. It's antisocial to be busy with someone else on the phone while sitting around the table. If you'd rather talk to that someone else, why'd you show up?
I'm always amused by the way it's practically de rigueur here in Israel to take out one's cell phone at meetings and place it on the table.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what someone would do at these meetings if they didn't have a phone. They'd certainly stand out...
:-)
Israelis are pretty rude about cellphone use. But I saw it getting worse in the states during my last couple of visits. It's more expensive there which limits calls. You get double-billed, which is really bad. But at least people use them less.
ReplyDeleteThe "table thing" is to see it vibrate, considered more polite than ringing... usually.