Voices
Cell phone addiction the height of rudeness
Howard Feldman’s column “How long can you go without your cell phone?” (SA Jewish Report 17 May 2019) touched a nerve. I applaud him for taking this initiative, and hope that this – by no means the first article I have read on the subject – gave food for thought.
Anonymous
I have an issue with cell phones. It has caused me considerable discomfort, and it is a huge effort to “mind my own business” about them. I am overcome with annoyance and embarrassment at seeing parents scrolling and tapping away, their brightly lit and visible screens displaying Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc, from time to time during school assemblies, school concerts, and recitals – in full view of the children and people sitting around them.
Of course I realise that the phones cannot be switched off at these events because parents need to photograph and video their kids in action, but the appalling bad manners leaves me speechless!
By setting the example that you need not resist using your phone anywhere, anytime, with complete disregard for someone whose performance or presence does not interest you, the future looks bleak for inculcating the values of basic consideration and menshadik (admirable) behaviour which said schools are attempting to achieve.
Maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps the kids are so used to seeing a screen in front of their parents at any given moment, they actually don’t notice it’s there.