Reply To: Effective cell phone use

[sdwa]

This is an interesting thread.

I hate cell phones, and resent that they exist. This is where I launch into an old person’s tirade about how Back In My Day we had to walk down the block to use a pay phone, when there still were pay phones to be found. And if we wanted to murder someone, we could clobber them over the head with the hefty receiver of the black rotary dial house phone. Throw a cell phone against a wall, and what do you get but the pathetic clatter of plastic shards? Not even remotely satisfying.

But seriously, I almost never answer my cell phone. It’s intrusive. The ringtone is annoying. I don’t care to be “on call” for anyone at any time. Often there are sales calls. Or recorded messages from a robo-call center of one sort or another. Sometimes I’m just not ready to talk to someone.

Also, I find it difficult to follow telephone conversations. I like to be able to see the person I’m talking to, because there are visual cues, from facial expressions and body language, that are completely missing on the phone. A disembodied voice makes me uncomfortable and a bit nervous. I’m sure that’s weird, but that is just how I feel.

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