I’m sick of texting
June 27th, 2008 -- by Augie De Blieck Jr.
- This past weekend, at the end of the women’s Olympic try-outs, they lined up all the gymnasts on stage in front of thousands of people, and cheered them on. Most stood there with their bouquet of roses and smiled. One at the end was too busy on her Blackberry texting someone to notice that her country was trying to honor her.
- The teenager cashier at the supermarket I did my food shopping at this weekend, actually stopped scanning items for a minute to pull her cell phone out of the drawer and answer a text message. I think I was staring at her with my jaw dropped while she casually made me wait, then went back to scanning things.
I know I’m an old man, but let’s start charging a dollar per text message — whatever it takes to cure the land of this evil scourge.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Wow, you weren’t kidding in your Twitter feed, Augie. ;)
It’s not the technology that’s the problem — it’s the people using it. I agree that both the people in your examples need to have a Stupidity Tax applied to them. But you could also say that if they were chatting on the phone, that would also be bad form.
Personally, I thought I would never text message anyone. Then I started using it on occasion, and now I use it quite a bit to talk to my girlfriend — we both have lax enough jobs where they don’t mind the occasional text message or phone call, but it’s just quicker to send a text rather than use cell phone minutes. I don’t answer texts when it’s inappropriate to do so — movies, at a play, in a line at the store — but I also don’t use my phone, either. In fact, if I’m on the phone in a store and I’m about ready to be checked out, I tell the person on the other end of the conversation, “Hey, I’m about to check out, either hold on or I’ll call you back when I’m done.” I’ve done the “talk while being checked out” once in my life, and I felt bad for doing so, so I’ve resolved to never do that again.
Common courtesy and common sense are missing in your examples — if we could figure out a way to get people to use that more, we’d not have a problem.
God, now I sound old. :)
June 27th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Oh, and if you want, I’ll do the Comic Book equivalent of hoisting a drink in your honor at WizardWorld Chicago this weekend. ;)
June 27th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Texters should either receive a small electric shock from the new idiot box in their hands, if two or more people judge it to be at an inappropriate time (done so via their own idiot boxes). Of course this idea just gets more people focused on their iBoxes and encourages other people in line to judge the judges who judging looks like texting and creates a wave of zapping. Or, we should be allowed to break the fingers of anybody so rude. Not sure if the Constitution bars us from doing this, I suspect it might, nonetheless breaking fingers should be made an exception.
Of course, I’m being flippant. Your point is well taken. I’m fairly young but I’m surprised how customers are treated as impositions rather than catered to. I don’t know how many times I’ve gotten attitude when I’ve pointed out they gave me the wrong amount of change (and almost never in my favor). They can’t believe I’d want the 75 cents and make them open the register to get it right. In those few rare instances they over-compensate the look of incredulity on their faces is even more stark when I try to give it back. It’s not, thank you for being so honest nobody’s honest anymore, it’s what are you an f’ing idiot for returning this. I think I might blog about this. You’ve inspired me Augie.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:01 pm
You should try teaching high school nowadays.
Even though cellphones are not allowed in the school, every class period becomes a game of cat and mouse where all the students try to secretly send text messages from under the desk. It’s ridiculous. And then, when the administration confiscates cellphones, the parents storm in and declare that their child’s rights are being violated.
I am so not kidding.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I know someone who can text 30 words a minute with one hand.