This is a rant I just have to get off my chest

 

 

 

I recently held a birthday party at my house inviting friends and family . As we all sat around the table it struck me , some of my guests had their mobile phone laying right next to their plates of food and from time to time they kept picking up their mobile phone and glancing at it and tapping the screen . I asked one guest what they were looking at . Oh its just my facebook page .

 

As time went on it seemed that some of my birthday party guests were more interested in paying attention to their mobile phones than joining in the conversation . I nearly said some thing about what I thought was their rude behavior , but decided to keep quite.

 

Thinking about those birthday party guests and their mobile phones , it struck me just how that sort of interaction with mobile phones seems to now be a very common occurrence.

 

So every where I go there they are , be it walking through a shopping mall or sitting on a bus or pushing a supermarket cart there they are . Their heads bent downwards in a hypnotic trance like state of mind staring at the little screen and seeming oblivious to the world around them.

 

I know that these devilish little mobile devices can at times be of some benefit , but come on people is there really a burning need to constantly and endlessly stare at the little screen . Come on people , when its meal time stop mindlessly looking at the little screen next to your food. Come on shop sales assistants just put down your little screen and help the customer. Come on petrol station cashiers turn off your little screen and take my money. Come on people put your mobile phone in your pocket and grab both motorbike handles bars. These mobile phone zombies seem to be expanding at an alarming rate .

 

The more I think about this type of mobile phone behavior the more I’m becoming firmly convinced that it may be detrimental to mental health , and in the long term cause irreversible psychological issues resulting in bouts of depression , anxiety and low self esteem.

 

 

Yes I do have a mobile phone and I appreciate that times have changed but you won’t see me wandering aimlessly along my head bent downwards looking at the little screen .

 

 

 

Is there any one else here that just like myself can’t understand the need to constantly have your face buried in your mobile phone .

 

 

 

 

 

Of course and its evident everywhere. What I find disturbing is the very young age this starts, from as young as 5 ! In my observations, far too much "screentime" is permitted and the devices are used as pacifiers to kids.

They should outlaw this for children.

I call them "Phone Zombies". It grinds my gears also.

bottom line:  they would rather be somewhere else.  sorry..... don't invite them to any more birthday parties.

 

i was playing football, skydiving, water skiing, etc....   NOBODY was on their phones.  

 

go to a movie.....almost none (some) are on their phones.  90% are watching the movie.

 

if it's boring, phones come out.....  so make it fun!!!!!  

 

 

You guys are not thinking this through properly. How else are they going to drive if they can't text at the same time, they'd get bored and fall asleep and then think how many accidents there's be.

6 minutes ago, Brierley said:

You guys are not thinking this through properly. How else are they going to drive if they can't text at the same time, they'd get bored and fall asleep and then think how many accidents there's be.

God it is so annoying......I see people pulling out of their driveways......on their phones......wait for one minute......and then trying to text as they drive.....absolutely criminal.

It is an addiction. I have it, too, but to  a lesser degree and I fight with it. I don't have internet on my phone which saves me. It's horrible and it is stealing away everything. But hey, here I am, here we are, on the internet, sharing....stuff. No offense, we are now perhaps hardwired to do it. You could bail completely but it would require a major life change. Nowadays, the world is running on the internet so you would have to bow out of "normal" living.

41 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

Is there any one else here that just like myself can’t understand the need to constantly have your face buried in your mobile phone .

 

This has been going on for ages.

 

In our household, I am a bad daddy as my youngest daughter said to me the other day....ouch !

 

Why did she say that, because I didn't allow her to finish her game on her iPad, her time was up by 15 plus minutes....my bad.

 

The policy I have is that the kids, now on school holidays get to charge their mobile, iPad and tablet (one device each) once a day and if that battery runs out, then that is it, however prior to the school holidays it has always been one hour after school when their homework and house chores are done.

 

During this latest outbreak and school holidays I have allowed them unrestricted access and can see the change, braindead, tired, lazy, and so on, but what do you do, we have taken them outside to ride their bikes, do some gardening when it's not overly hot, play some games, but they want none of it, they want their devices, they are not even interested in Netflix or YouTube on the TV.

 

Try talking to them when they are on their devices, hug, not even looking at you, try talking to them again, hug, can you look at me when I am talking to you, head lifts after a late response, hug, you can imagine the frustration we have, but the control lay with us, our kids, our house our rules.

 

Appreciate your frustration, I am not stuck on my mobile, it's the laptop and the wife her mobile. 

 

We are waiting to be injected with the technology vaccine ????

 

 

To be able to ride a Honda Click in traffic whilst texting and carrying a small dog, requires a lot of skill, so does riding into the back of a stationary truck or bus without flinching....I think they should ban trucks and buses from parking on main roads, that would solve the problem.

30 minutes ago, Simple Jack said:

I call them "Phone Zombies". It grinds my gears also.

 

You don't have to invite a new word for them. It exists already.

Smombie

 

Just a few weeks ago I had to give out with a loud yell at a young lad about 4 or 5 years. He was riding his bicycle through the village, eyes firmly locked onto his mobile and heading straight for me! He looked up changed direction and then continued ogling his phone, probably a bit miffed that I'd interrupted his viewing.

 

I've seen kids as young as 18 months mesmerized by these things.

 

I was reading that in Japan, that the highways departments are now installing walk/don't walk lights in the pavements at crossings in an attempt to catch the eye of the 'heads down brigade', as I call them.

 

Yes, I have one and yes, they are very useful. You'll see me referring to mine in Big C, why? Because I have my shopping list on it. 

 

But this incessant use of them in almost every situation is IMO, very much to humankind's detriment. It's tragic and I completely agree with the O/P

I remember just before I left the USA in 2014, I was having dinner with my sister in a little place and we noticed what seemed like a young couple on a first date at the table next to us. While they were speaking to each other and seemingly trying to get to know each other...they never put down their phones and my guess is that this was common among this generation. I also surmised from their expressions and body language that the guy was likely chatting with other potential GFs while the young lady was giving an account of the date to her friend(s) as it happened. Welcome to 1984

Pre Covid I was on a subway train with a person who I hadn't see for some time. We chatted all the way on our trip.

 

Then soon later I went to one of my favorite coffee places. A service girl told me she saw me in the subway. And she more or less complained that I was talking all the time while she and all the others were looking at their phones... 

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Pre Covid I was on a subway train with a person who I hadn't see for some time. We chatted all the way on our trip.

 

Then soon later I went to one of my favorite coffee places. A service girl told me she saw me in the subway. And she more or less complained that I was talking all the time while she and all the others were looking at their phones... 

That's so inconsiderate of you. ????

Agree literally. Not helped by app developers either. Was in HK a few years ago where literally everybody walked, sat or moved with a mobile phone open in front of them. The most downloaded app there??? A video that played in a small 1.5cm square screen on your phone so that you could see what was in front of you whilst playing your game, lest you fall in a pothole etc etc (which a few still managed to do). And probably used whilst driving as well ????

It's a video addiction that will be more effective than a drug to enslave people.  Everyone has a smart phone which tracks where and when they go anyplace and now people are so enraptured by what they see on the phone/internet it becomes more like something out of 1984.

 

Imagine what this place will be like in 20 years when the young generation who are addicted to their phones finally get empowered to lead society and make the rules. 

There's a special area in Hell reserved for the person who first thought of putting a camera into a phone.

It's now more important to look as if you are having a good time rather than actually having a good time. Very important to people's Facebook page.

Bosses in the past have complained "I try to call you, no answer"

Reply - "I am working. Should I stop?"

Dirty look returned.

Reply - 555

 

Almost hit a girl crossing the street - headphones in, face locked on screen. She didn't even look before stepping off the curb.

But she sure looked when I gave a blast on the air horn !

1 minute ago, movsrus said:

Imagine what this place will be like in 20 years when the young generation who are addicted to their phones finally get empowered to lead society and make the rules.

Thamanat will probably be in charge by then........imagine who else might be in his cabinet????

It's a pandemic with no vaccine in sight, for sure, 

My daughter has five phones she is almost seven. The aunties keep giving the things to her and I just keep removing the battery.

When she can use one she reverts to Zombie mode. I hate the things.

I have a half smart phone but no internet on it.

My Thai wife's use of the mobile phone is the main reason for arguments in our house, she  uses it  99% of the time she is awake..... while she is: cooking ,  on the toilet,  in the shower, when her face is not stuck in the screen  the volume is turned up so that she  can hear whats happening from a distance

This pernicious habit is not only rude but is the cause of frequent accidents and deaths. A mild example :

 

 

 

39 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

You don't have to invite a new word for them. It exists already.

Smombie

 

 

A while ago I started a similar thread re "smartphone zombies" and got talked down by a number of folks here on this forum, who claimed that I should be more considerate and get out of the zombies path whenever they are on the course of collision with me from the opposite direction. (I litterally stood my ground and braced for the impact! Hey, "common courtesy": if you don't see me then I don't see you.)

It is all never going to change just the way of the world get use to it.

 

OP, on your next Birthday invitations put "no phones" and see how many people show up.

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Of course and its evident everywhere. What I find disturbing is the very young age this starts, from as young as 5 ! In my observations, far too much "screentime" is permitted and the devices are used as pacifiers to kids.

They should outlaw this for children.

 

Knock yourself out trying to enforce that legislation.

31 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

It is all never going to change just the way of the world get use to it.

 

OP, on your next Birthday invitations put "no phones" and see how many people show up.

 

I think the OP is being irresponsible having a birthday party with the current, perilous state of play with regard to Covid.

1 hour ago, watthong said:

 

A while ago I started a similar thread re "smartphone zombies" and got talked down by a number of folks here on this forum, who claimed that I should be more considerate and get out of the zombies path whenever they are on the course of collision with me from the opposite direction. (I litterally stood my ground and braced for the impact! Hey, "common courtesy": if you don't see me then I don't see you.)

 

I also did the collision course exercise a couple of time. Let them run into me and hopefully clash their phone against their faces. Som nam na!

Obviously I don't do that with old and ugly women. ???? 

1 hour ago, actonion said:

My Thai wife's use of the mobile phone is the main reason for arguments in our house, she  uses it  99% of the time she is awake..... while she is: cooking ,  on the toilet,  in the shower, when her face is not stuck in the screen  the volume is turned up so that she  can hear whats happening from a distance

 

My Son is sat next to me on his laptop playing Roblox... meanwhile I am next to him on ThaiVisa. 

I’m not sure which of us is wasting more time !!!... But, its lockdown, the house is tidy, his room is tidy, he’s had a good week with on-line learning.

 

When his mum calls him for lunch and he puts the laptop straight down its a good sign. If he delays or shows any degree of frustration he loses the privilege of the laptop. 

 

He’s 7, having his own laptop teaches him responsibility, he charges it, looks after it, he does his school work on it, does online learning on it with MicroSoft Teams, he does BugClub (reading), Mathletics (Maths) 

He’s not allowed any screens in his room. He still wants to read and we let him read in bed for 30mins to an hour before he sleeps. 

 

Screens, iPads, Laptops etc are an incredible resource for kids. 

 

But as others have said, they are also a great pacifier when parents want some quiet... fair enough up to an extent. 

 

The blight on society is the ignorance people present when they turn to their phone instead of being considerate of their surroundings, i.e. when in the company of others. 

IMO using a phone at the dinner table is a ’no-no’ particularly in a slightly formal setting.

 

Basic manners are instilled from an early age - those who show addiction to their phones in the presence of others may not have had these basic manners instilled and some just don’t understand cause an effect when manners are concerned.