Do You Think Cellphones Make People More Unsociable?

Discussion in Off Topic Discussion & General Questions started by sunnyside • Apr 16, 2016.

  1. sunnyside

    sunnysideActive Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2016
    Threads:
    33
    Messages:
    137
    Likes Received:
    52
    A cellphone can be a very useful tool, and nowadays most people own one or even two of them, and seldom go anywhere without them. However, even though cellphones can be very useful, they can also be overused, and even used at the wrong times or in the wrong setting.

    If one is at a salon awaiting one's turn, or at a bus station waiting for a bus, or even in a doctor's waiting room, using a cellphone at these times would seem acceptable, since it is a good way to redeem the time while waiting. However, if one is at a social gathering like a party, or at a luncheon/dinner with other friends or family, or even visiting at a friend's house, using a cellphone at these times can make that person appear somewhat unsociable even though that is not their real intention.

    What do you think? Do you think there is too much cellphone addiction these days?
     
  2. Corzhens

    CorzhensWell-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2015
    Threads:
    151
    Messages:
    1,855
    Likes Received:
    459
    Talking of communication by phone, I don't think the cellphone is making us anti-social albeit it is a convenient tool for socializing. But using the phone for other means particularly surfing the internet or playing computer games, that's being a tool for anti-social. It is now very common to see in restaurants where families are sitting in a table with everyone focused on their phones instead of conversing.
     
  3. sunnyside

    sunnysideActive Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2016
    Threads:
    33
    Messages:
    137
    Likes Received:
    52
    Well there are also those who would spend a lot of time texting other people even when they are at a gathering like a dinner or party. So they are socializing with others who are not present, while paying little attention to those they are with. It is always good to have our cellphones with us in case a call or text message comes in, but some calls or text messages can be responded to at another time as long as they are not of an urgent nature.
     
  4. gmckee1985

    gmckee1985Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2014
    Threads:
    30
    Messages:
    492
    Likes Received:
    42
    Yes, cell phones have definitely made people less sociable. I include myself in that. People seem to shy away from meaningful conversations and dialogue these days. Maybe because we communication so much electronically we don't feel the urge to make a personal connection with friends and family as much as we used to. Whatever it is, I don't think it's a good change as a society. We need to find a balance.
     
  5. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2012
    Threads:
    66
    Messages:
    2,725
    Likes Received:
    328
    Cell phones have made people ruder. I think people should not take their phones to the family table for dinner or out to social meetings. If the phone rings and you are talking to someone let it go to voicemail. We did not always have the phone at our finger tips, we need to go back to not being on the phone all of the time or available all the time.
     
  6. Kezmumtotwo

    KezmumtotwoNew Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2016
    Threads:
    1
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    4
    As much as I hate to admit it, I'm definitely less social when on my phone. I think I blank out the people around me and I'm in my own little zone. I agree that the Internet opens up a world of possibilities and allows us to be social with people online, but the concentration you put into doing that definitely removes your consciousness of what is going on around you. There have been countless times when someone is talking to me and I am reading something or texting on my phone and I am completely and utterly deaf to them. I limit the time I spend on my phone and I'm not rude in the sense that I wouldn't use it at a friends house or at the dinner table etc.
     
  7. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2015
    Threads:
    167
    Messages:
    903
    Likes Received:
    252
    I hate it when I see people buried in their cell phones when they are supposed to be socializing with other people, like at dinner and such. I do a lot of work from my phone so I am on it quite a bit, but when I am doing things with friends or family I stay off of it. People do not even talk as much as they used to.
     
  8. DiscountDreams

    DiscountDreamsActive Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2016
    Threads:
    2
    Messages:
    126
    Likes Received:
    18
    Definitely. It's so infuriating to see cool people missing their whole life because they're telling people on social media about how cool their life is...gotta keep that nonsense to an utter minimum.
     
  9. Kezmumtotwo

    KezmumtotwoNew Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2016
    Threads:
    1
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    4
    I don't use social media at all any more. It started to take over my life and made me really quite unhappy. I'd be in the middle of doing something and i remember thinking 'oh I will take a picture for Facebook' and 'oh that will make a good status'. It was ridiculous. My life portrayed online was a polar opposite to the life I was actually living and I just didn't have the energy to live up to that fake persona any more. I never spoke to the people offline and none of them really cared about me. So I cut ties, deleted all my accounts and went off the grid. Now I don't speak to any of them and my life is a lot healthier and happier for it. You find out who your true friends are and the whole town doesn't know your business!
     
  10. obliviousme

    obliviousmeActive Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2014
    Threads:
    5
    Messages:
    558
    Likes Received:
    15
    Yes, it does make us anti-social. Cellphone is a necessity in life, it's the best tool for communication, but since most cellphones nowadays are not strictly for talking/texting, they also come with internet so there's far too many things we can do in our cellphones like games, social media, etc. We get so caught up with it and it's like we lose any desire to reach out and be social in traditional way, the modern way of socializing seems to be online nowadays which is really sad.
     
  11. artyarson

    artyarsonActive Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2015
    Threads:
    2
    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    16
    I think they cause too much of a distraction. I just can't get people sharing the same table and being on their social media. Unless people are really too much of an unpleasant person to one another.

    Young people are usually guilty of that.
     
  12. Moroccanbeauty2266

    Moroccanbeauty2266Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2016
    Threads:
    4
    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    17
    I also think cellphones have a lot of advantages, such as faster connection with others and constant availability but it also has disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that it makes people unsocial if used too much at the wrong time and in the wrong setting. When you are sitting at a dinner table with your family whom you have not seen for a very long time but are constantly looking at your phone is already rude to me.Whenever I am in a social gathering I never touch my phone-only if it is an important phone call, yes, but other than that I don't. And I have seen others do it and it just makes the whole situation awkward. You feel like they do not want to send time with you, they would rather chat and talk away with their friend whom they are texting. It is similar to having the TV on while dinner at home. Ihate it and always have it turned off during dinner or other social gatherings at home.
    I would call it being caught in a virtual bubble and we have to be careful to not let it get too far that we lose our emotional and social traits. If you look at the youth today you can see that they are more sucked into the whole cellphone technology and this is creepy. I hope our society finally finds a way to change this trend but obviously it starts in your own hme first.
     
  13. davos

    davosActive Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2016
    Threads:
    15
    Messages:
    364
    Likes Received:
    46
    It certainly can be an useful tool, and nowadays most people should own one at least, and seldom go anywhere without them. But don't confuse phone addiction with average phone users. An average person will avert his/her when there is other interesting thing to do, like engaging strangers into a conversation, but not with randomly bringing a subject into the table but to have a real motivation to do so.
     
  14. filmjunkie08

    filmjunkie08Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2016
    Threads:
    0
    Messages:
    181
    Likes Received:
    23
    I believe they have made people have very poor social ettiquete. And that comes across and unfriendly or unsociable. It seems people are too busy walking around talking on their cell phones to engage in pleasantries with the person next to them.
     
  15. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2012
    Threads:
    38
    Messages:
    2,118
    Likes Received:
    59
    I don't think cell phones make people anti-social. I do think that they have made people less mindful, less engaged and rude. It's sad when I see parents with their small children, but are glued to their smartphones. I hate it when people nearly run into me because they are looking at their phones. I regularly yell out , "Don't hit me!"

    I like smartphones. They can be a very useful too, but there needs to be a balance.
     
  16. Vinaya

    VinayaActive Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2016
    Threads:
    20
    Messages:
    401
    Likes Received:
    64
    I think cellphones are making people more sociable. You may be unable to meet people who are far away, however, you can give them a call and say hello. You can also keep in touch with people via social media. More people use social media via phones compared to the social media website.
    This morning I called my parents who are miles away and wished them "happy anniversary." This would have never been possible if there were no cellphones.
     
  17. tgthewriter1

    tgthewriter1New Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2016
    Threads:
    1
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    1
    No, I think people are thinking too much. People need to realize that cellphones is making business and dating better. In general, don't worry about cellphone influence.
     
  18. angelaandrea

    angelaandreaNew Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2016
    Threads:
    0
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    No i do not think about cellphone is making people unsociable and i totally agree with TG...
     
  19. TheKnight

    TheKnightActive Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Threads:
    21
    Messages:
    587
    Likes Received:
    143
    I despise people who ignore me while I talk to them just because they're on their phone. It's one of the rudest most infuriating action. I end up leaving and I still leave them to wonder why I left them or why I am mad.

    When you're talking to someone, don't be on your phone unless necessary or at least tell the person that you prefer using your phone so you won't leave them talking to themselves.
     
  20. Belovedad

    BelovedadActive Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2016
    Threads:
    9
    Messages:
    165
    Likes Received:
    26
    I guess it depends on your opinion on what 'unsociable' means. I believe the cellphone helps a lot of people socialize better and more with others but it can sometimes limit their social behaviors in a live setting.