[Technology] Phone addiction

[Mustafa II]

People are so addicted to their phones these days, it seems incredibly dystopian to me... and can't be healthy for the mind?

On a bus or train - it seems 90% of people will be on their phones for the entire duration of the journey, when it is such a great opportunity to watch the world around them through the windows.

Even in pubs, at restaurants, even when they have company... people are on their phones, or at the very least constantly checking them.

I go out of my way to not use my phone except when required, as I feel as I'm missing out on life when doing so - but with that has come an acute awareness of how so many people can't resist constantly checking their phones, and often become completely absent for minutes, while browsing whatever they are addicted to looking at.

Boredom can be a beautiful thing, as it allows the mind to wonder. Are people now so scared of being bored, even for a few seconds - or is it that they are so addicted to the dopamine rushes designed by their apps, that they literally cannot resist it anymore?

Whatever it is - this cannot be good for people. I wonder if it some kind of crises that we're not fully aware of yet.

 

[The Wookiee]

Rewind 20 years and people were reading newspapers on trains and buses and pubs.

I guess the phone/internet has replaced that ?

I do however agree that using your phone whilst in company of others, especially at the dinner table is just wrong

 

[Han Solo]

When amazing technology is in the hands of centralised power there is no way out, and this is now the case.

In 20 years people will use chips inside the head or hand instead though. Good luck in the societal competition without being augmented by AI... Smartphones will be obsolete.

In short, no worries - it is what it is.

 

[HangletonGull]

It’s the absolute c u next Tuesdays who use their loudspeaker in public music or conversation who need locking up

 

[Bodian]

People are so addicted to their phones these days, it seems incredibly dystopian to me... and can't be healthy for the mind?

On a bus or train - it seems 90% of people will be on their phones for the entire duration of the journey, when it is such a great opportunity to watch the world around them through the windows.

Even in pubs, at restaurants, even when they have company... people are on their phones, or at the very least constantly checking them.

I go out of my way to not use my phone except when required, as I feel as I'm missing out on life when doing so - but with that has come an acute awareness of how so many people can't resist constantly checking their phones, and often become completely absent for minutes, while browsing whatever they are addicted to looking at.

Boredom can be a beautiful thing, as it allows the mind to wonder. Are people now so scared of being bored, even for a few seconds - or is it that they are so addicted to the dopamine rushes designed by their apps, that they literally cannot resist it anymore?

Whatever it is - this cannot be good for people. I wonder if it some kind of crises that we're not fully aware of yet.

Those in the photo - probably texting each other!

 

[Mustafa II]

Rewind 20 years and people were reading newspapers on trains and buses and pubs.

I guess the phone/internet has replaced that ?

I do however agree that using your phone whilst in company of others, especially at the dinner table is just wrong

No.

People didn't stop in the street, unroll the paper, have a look, and put it back, every few minutes.

People didn't sit at the bar for hours on end reading the paper, with other punters also obsessively reading their papers.

People didn't roll out the paper at traffic lights, because they just needed to check it.

When people were out with friends, they didn't roll out the paper every few minutes, just to have a look.

Nor did as soon their company went somewhere for a minute, the first thing they must do was checking the paper.

Watching the football? Must check the newspaper. Just before bed? Need to check the newspaper. Watching a movie? Yep, newspaper, just a quick look, then they'll put it back.

No - the phone has not replaced the newspaper. The newspaper was a form of entertainment, but it wasn't an obsession, an addiction, like phones are.... to almost everyone, these days.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Have many people lost their headphones recently? I regularly see people walking around having conversations with their phone on loudspeaker.
I haven’t watched The Apprentice for years but remember seeing the candidates using phones this way but don’t remember people in the street doing it back then. Seems to be popular way of using phones now though, not something I do though.

 

[HangletonGull]

Have many people lost their headphones recently? I regularly see people walking around having conversations with their phone on loudspeaker.
I haven’t watched The Apprentice for years but remember seeing the candidates using phones this way but don’t remember people in the street doing it back then. Seems to be popular way of using phones now though, not something I do though.

When phones came out if I got a call I would move away from people in fact I still do , but even people at work on their breaks still watch stuff on their phone with full volume, my mrs has a habit of talking on FaceTime in front of me and the looks I give her

 

[BN9 BHA]

When phones came out if I got a call I would move away from people in fact I still do , but even people at work in their breaks still watch stuff on their phone with full volume, my mrs has a habit of talking on FaceTime in from of me and the looks I give her

I’m not a phone addict and don’t really like using mine in public, I definitely wouldn’t play music or videos on loudspeaker unless I was at home.
I very rarely look at my phone in the street and often leave it a home if I’m going for a meal.
I do get regular calls as I have a business but don’t like answering my phone if I’m working in a customer’s property, most people text, use WhatsApp or leave me a voicemail which I find easier.

 

[BN41Albion]

I agree, says me, checking my phone and nsc while in the middle of watching a good documentary on telly.

Ah shit

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It’s the absolute c u next Tuesdays who use their loudspeaker in public music or conversation who need locking up

If I get a late train up to London there is always some dopey chav, getting on at Teynham, often stinking of skunk, playing some sort of gangsta shite on their phone.
And they don't listen to a whole track.
They play a bit, sometimes grunting along, then flip to another.
Then get off at Sittingbourne or Gillingham.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No.

People didn't stop in the street, unroll the paper, have a look, and put it back, every few minutes.

People didn't sit at the bar for hours on end reading the paper, with other punters also obsessively reading their papers.

People didn't roll out the paper at traffic lights, because they just needed to check it.

When people were out with friends, they didn't roll out the paper every few minutes, just to have a look.

Nor did as soon their company went somewhere for a minute, the first thing they must do was checking the paper.

Watching the football? Must check the newspaper. Just before bed? Need to check the newspaper. Watching a movie? Yep, newspaper, just a quick look, then they'll put it back.

No - the phone has not replaced the newspaper. The newspaper was a form of entertainment, but it wasn't an obsession, an addiction, like phones are.... to almost everyone, these days.

You clearly never saw me with my Guardian did you?

 

[BN9 BHA]

If I get a late train up to London there is always some dopey chav, getting on at Teynham, often stinking of skunk, playing some sort of gangsta shite on their phone.
And they don't listen to a whole track.
They play a bit, sometimes grunting along, then flip to another.
Then get off at Sittingbourne or Gillingham.

I imagine Chatham is still full of these types, hopefully your train doesn’t stop there

 

[Hugo Rune]

When amazing technology is in the hands of centralised power there is no way out, and this is now the case.

In 20 years people will use chips inside the head or hand instead though. Good luck in the societal competition without being augmented by AI... Smartphones will be obsolete.

In short, no worries - it is what it is.

I think you maybe focused on the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘when’ with the old ‘chips in the brain’ prediction. I suspect the technology is there to do much of this already but it doesn’t look like it’s progressing much?

However, I think your starting position should be function over form. I’m with NDT on the ‘why’. This is a non-starter for me.



It far more likely that we’ll live our authentic biological lives in the future and then be uploaded to the MuskNet, perhaps to download and return to real life every thousand years or so for a bit of fun and bantz as described in Arthur C Clarke’s The City in the Stars.

 

[SeagullinExile]

We need a good old fashioned solar flare to send us back to the dark ages

 

[BN9 BHA]

 

[Knocky's Nose]

No.

People didn't stop in the street, unroll the paper, have a look, and put it back, every few minutes.

People didn't sit at the bar for hours on end reading the paper, with other punters also obsessively reading their papers.

People didn't roll out the paper at traffic lights, because they just needed to check it.

When people were out with friends, they didn't roll out the paper every few minutes, just to have a look.

Nor did as soon their company went somewhere for a minute, the first thing they must do was checking the paper.

Watching the football? Must check the newspaper. Just before bed? Need to check the newspaper. Watching a movie? Yep, newspaper, just a quick look, then they'll put it back.

No - the phone has not replaced the newspaper. The newspaper was a form of entertainment, but it wasn't an obsession, an addiction, like phones are.... to almost everyone, these days.

If the news in the newspaper literally changed every minute.... then it might have been different.

 

[Justice]

Not this again, it’s technology deal with it and embrace it.
You have no idea what people are doing on their phones. The world is at our fingertips it’s marvellous.

You may be assuming everyone is on social media talking bollocks have you stopped to think the girl in the corner is applying for a job or the scruffy fella is a builder looking up materials for his next job (something I do regularly).
Or a family member has messaged about a problem they may have or simply asking about Sunday dinner and who’s going?
Labelling everyone you see on a phone a phone zombie is outdated nonsense.

 

[Easy 10]

I do make sure I'm not buried in my phone when I'm with friends/family, especially when the grandkids are round (although it does get opened for pics and vids with them of course). But with lazy downtime on my own, I'm as guilty as most. On the bus/train home from a game, I'll invariably be surfing Twitter / FB for post-match comments, videos and reactions.

If I'm having a cheeky pub lunch on my own, once I've browsed the newspaper sports pages, then I'll be checking my phone, getting my Wordle done, making sure I'm up to date on Quiz Planet (which I am addicted to). And when the Doris has her soaps on, I'll be sprawled out on the sofa reading something or playing games on it, till we can put something interesting on.

The thing that really worries me though is just how much of my daily life is stored on my phone that I really rely on. Online banking, football tickets, multiple passwords both for work and personal (all locked in a notebook app), plus some other stuff for work that I HAVE to have on my phone to do my job (no, before you ask I'm not doing Onlyfans). If I ever have my phone lost or stolen it would be an absolute catastrophe for me, so I guard it with my life.

Its that over-reliance that has developed alongside this tech over the years. Not good.

 

[portlock seagull]

I’m not a phone addict and don’t really like using mine in public, I definitely wouldn’t play music or videos on loudspeaker unless I was at home.
I very rarely look at my phone in the street and often leave it a home if I’m going for a meal.
I do get regular calls as I have a business but don’t like answering my phone if I’m working in a customer’s property, most people text, use WhatsApp or leave me a voicemail which I find easier.

This is because you’re normal, not an addict like the overwhelming majority of people these days but especially youngsters. I fear for and pity them the most. What have we done to them?