Sep 2, 2015

Civility and Smart Phones

     It's too easy to ignore civility in an environment where people can contact you 24/7.
     The PEW folks are out with an exhaustive study on when people say it is OK to send or receive calls or texts, or to take pictures or video. And there is a large generational divide.


     10% of 18-29 year olds even think it is OK to use their phone during church services. Less than 1% of folks over 65 agree.


    Everyone seems to agree it is OK to use a cell phone on public transportation, though surely a large number of them find it annoying.


     2% if the younger users say it is OK to do so during a meeting, which reminds me of an incident in the early 1980's at a WERC Radio business retreat. 
     One of the staff at the far end of the table looked like he was typing? On something? The manager running the meeting, John Bomer, finally spoke up. "Dave? We're not interrupting you, are we?" he asked. Dave held up a Radio Shack Model 100, one of the first laptop sized portable computers. He was using it to take notes. 

     I bought one the next day. Too cool. 

1 comment:

  1. When my wife started studies for a Masters degree at the University of Maryland way back when, she carried around a 25-pound Compag "portable" computer.

    The U of M campus is huge!

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