As A.A. Gill laments the supposed death of phone calls, Matthew Steeples calls on readers to keep up the conversation
In this month’s Vanity Fair, A.A. Gill argues that “nobody talks on the telephone anymore” and that all we now do is text and email. His point is sadly true but what he misses is that even when people meet, many just sit playing with their smart phone devices.
In what he describes as a “nostalgia rant”, Gill points out that a recent survey revealed that speaking on the telephone is the sixth thing people now do on their phone and that texting is now the number one function. He laments this change as “communication without writing” but what I truly loathe is when people use mobile technology whilst in the company of others.
Two stories to keep beside you
Sense, censorship and conversation
Should controls on Internet and email usage in public spaces and cafes, bars and restaurants be welcomed? When you see someone sat in a café tapping away on a laptop what do you think? Could they be a media dahling on a deadline, a freelancer desperately seeking work, an Al-Qaeda member plotting their next […]
The troubles of Twitter
Matthew Steeples follows up on Jeremy Clarkson’s lament on the decline of Twitter and suggests the site could finally be on the wane
Some will no doubt call me a grump but when I arrange a drink or lunch with someone, I like to chat with them rather than to watch them text and email. This kind of behaviour is, I’d argue, the height of bad manners but it is now the acceptable norm. Some couples spend entire dinners on their phones whilst dining together and work colleagues think nothing of tapping away during meetings. Today, I call upon readers to consider the art of conversation and to think about just putting down that mobile – even if it is only for ten minutes.
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Readers have their say
6 comments
Agreed – a dangerous addiction. People don’t seem to understand it is rude.
In the vestibule of my church I have a volunteer who checks cell phones, something like a coat check. (on-call doctors excepted) You cannot imagine how depressing it is to look out over the congregation and to see texting.
DISRESPECT just like ‘ shouting ‘ to dem
I often have to request fellow passengers on a flight to switch off their phones as they seem to ignore what the stewards / sses are saying and carry on texting if not talking while the plane is taking off.
I got into a fight once because of this as the person I was asking would not do it and got aggressive,, and frankly , thinking back the airline should have reported him to the police. I had written a letter to SWISS and got no reply.
I’d have given the person a good whack!
Sit next to, and stick to gentlemen………