Do You Have Cell Phone Priority Syndrome

[Reality101]

I'm gonna rant a little bit. I have diagnosed 5 people with this condition today.

Signs of Cell Phone Priority Syndrome

• When your cell phone goes off, do you answer or check it no matter the situation or circumstance?
  
• Do you find yourself so caught up in your cell phone conversation that you either don’t care or lose the ability to recognize how loudly you are speaking?
  
• Does your cell phone interaction often take precedence over interaction with people who are right there in front of you?
  
• Do you have the misguided belief that saying, “I’m so so sorry, but I really need to take this,” fools people into believing that you really are sorry and your phone call in no way, shape or form can be returned later?
  
• Does the idea of letting a call go to voice mail make you feel frantic or paranoid?
  
• While using your cell phone, do you fail to acknowledge the people who are assisting you? i.e cashiers
  
• Are you of the new Me Generation with a heavy dose of technology narcissism?
  
• Do you hate when people interrupt or distract you from your cell phone? So much that you will shhh them or even… snap your fingers?
  
• Do your driving, walking, keeping-up-with-shit-going-on-around-you skills dramatically decrease while you are using your cell phone?

If you answered yes to at least two of these questions, then you are afflicted with CPPS. If you answered yes to ALL of these questions then your condition is acute and has a death by strangulation rate of 78% Stay home.

 

[RationalLunacy]

Just because my phone rings does not obligate me to answer it.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

[*]Do you have the misguided belief that saying, “I’m so so sorry, but I really need to take this,” fools people into believing that you really are sorry and your phone call in no way, shape or form can be returned later?

to be perfectly honest, sometimes the person on the ringing phone is more important to me than the person standing in front of me. not every personal interaction is demanding of my undivided attention. if there's a $10,000 call coming through, i'm not going to send it to voicemail because buddy behind the counter at safeway is asking me for my reward card.

 

[Reality101]

to be perfectly honest, sometimes the person on the ringing phone is more important to me than the person standing in front of me. not every personal interaction is demanding of my undivided attention. if there's a $10,000 call coming through, i'm not going to send it to voicemail because buddy behind the counter at safeway is asking me for my reward card.

Fair enough. I can see that. I hear that response all the time though and it rarely sounds authentic. It sounds like a cop out for I know I shouldn't be answering my phone right now but ha ha ha I'm just gonna go right ahead and do it anyway. Annoying. If you're gonna be rude about your cell phone use, don't fakely apologize to me about it and dramatically confess how important the call is. Save it.

 

[FPNY]

in my line of work the telephone is very important. that being said i have to say that i think the cell phone is the worse invention ever. i hate it. i hate to answer it, i hate to hear it ring, i hate the fact that there is no longer any place to go to get away from it all. it used to be that at least the time spent in your car was quiet time, no more.... the last four vacations i took i found myself doing business via blackberry.

i would much rather chat with the guy at safeway.

 

[Reality101]

But the whole texting craze is absolutely ridiculous and the sooner hands-free is mandatory the safer the roads will be.

Agreed

 

[nialltt]

I hate ppl that check their phone while im talking or spending time with em. Put that shit on silent im trying to spend time with you..... not with you and your phone.

 

[Mrbrightside976]

You'd be amazed at how many people talk on the phone while they are ordering. I work at Dunkin' Donuts and they make it seem like your interrupting their phone call when your just trying to get their order correct.

 

[jizzeater]

In my experience, people are generally just very inconsiderate nowadays. It's ME ME ME and fuck you if you have a problem with it.

I was leaving the grocery store a few days ago and a woman, pushing a cart with one hand and talking on her phone with the other, cut in front of me. She didn't acknowledge me at all, she just kept yapping and pushing her cart very slowly and blocking me and the line of people behind me. At one point, she even stopped right in front of the exit, which is when I barged my way past her.

 

[ChickenGuy]

I have the opposite - Cell Phone Avoidance Syndrome.

I don't have one. Never have. I hate the things. My dad has sort of got one, but doesn't use it. He insists I must take one if I'm going away on holiday somewhere.

To be honest, I would hardly know how to use one. I've only sent a text once or twice in my life - and that was when my auntie insisted on it on a holiday, and it took me about five minutes to send.

I can do without them.

 

[Yuki Sohma]

Just because my phone rings does not obligate me to answer it.

Well now RL point well taken.

 

[gsdx]

• Does your cell phone interaction often take precedence over interaction with people who are right there in front of you?

I feel particularly sad for babies and small children who are begging Mommy for attention but all her attention is focused on that phone glued to her ear.

 

[freefall]

The only reason I would need my cellphone are to store new ideas and listen to music. I rarely text because when I need to talk about something, I usually do it in person.

For long-duration talks, I use telephones. I only do it when I am alone and have spare time and don't have anything else to do---the chances are like one in a zillion.

 

[Pushyourluck]

No I am the opposite. I ignore all phone calls. Currently I have 10 missed calls on my phone and I don't even know who it's from. Naughty me!

 

[bulge]

I don't dare to give my number to anyone or to keep anything on them cause I always loose them. I probably already lost 27 phones. Moreover I perfectly hate them

 

[Lord Booticus]

Personally if I'm with someone and their phone rings I have absolutly no problem with them answering it. Depending on their ring tone I might even demand it. I think it rude to just blatantly ignore someone.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

Fair enough. I can see that. I hear that response all the time though and it rarely sounds authentic. It sounds like a cop out for I know I shouldn't be answering my phone right now but ha ha ha I'm just gonna go right ahead and do it anyway. Annoying. If your gonna be rude about your cell phone use, don't fakely apologize to me about it and dramatically confess how important the call is. Save it.

if you automatically think that just because you're standing in front of me that you're more important than who's on the other end of my ringing call - then you are the rude one, not me.

 

[Reality101]

I also hate cell phones. The obsession and over use of them is out of control if you ask me. Manners, courtesy, safety, interpersonal skills, etc are just flying out the window more and more for people locked to their cell phones! I don't think cell phones should be eradicated, but more people need to recognize their behavior and selfishness.

Jizzeater I think I know that woman It's so rude.

Mikami I totally agree. Back when I was a barista there was this woman who put her cell phone on speaker and held it directly in front of my face so that her friend on the other end could tell me her order accurately This happened after she held up the line belting into the phone "What??? What is THAT?? I dunno how to order that!! Say it again... what?! Shit hold on hold on. I'm putting you on speaker." I was blown away by the gall of that damn lady.

Gsdx it is sad! I see this all the time too. I gotta say, I don't really understand people who pick their cell phone over human interaction. If you have a friend or loved one right there in front of you then why are you attached to your cell phone? I don't think it's because they don't care about the people around them. I don't get it though. Maybe someone can explain it to me. In my head it's just rude as hell.

 

[Reality101]

Personally if I'm with someone and their phone rings I have absolutly no problem with them answering it. Depending on their ring tone I might even demand it. I think it rude to just blatantly ignore someone.

But... that is why there is voice mail. You can miss the call but then return it later. I don't see it as ignoring the caller. And I don't have a problem with people answering their cell phone is some situations. Every situation no. Absolutely not.

if you automatically think that just because your standing in front of me that your more important than who's on the other end of my ringing call - then you are the rude one, not me.

More important? No. Deserving of respect. Yes. There is a time and place for cell phone imo. Human interaction is important even with strangers! People are just lollygagging around, yammers on their phones and not even acknowledging the people around them. I think it's sad...

Cell phones for me are like PDA in some situations. I understand that you are in love and you want to kiss right then and right there but please... can you just not? Same thing with cell phones.


edit: What's with the Lady Gaga rocks before my msg??

 

[frankfrank]

I don't feel offended when somebody answers their phone while I'm visiting with them - even on the rare occasion that it's in the middle of sex or something.

I have a cell phone, but I am very cognizant of HOW MUCH most people hate people answering a cell phone in their presence. I also fully realize that I've never had a cell phone with a ringtone that I would easily hear, nor have I ever had the option of downloading a ringtone of my choice. If I could just get an old-fashioned "mechanical bell" sound, I'd be a happy camper.

I absolutely NEVER use my cell phone when I'm at home or nearby. When I'm on the road, I try my best to make sure the kinds of calls I make do NOT require being called back. I realize all too well that any incoming calls will almost certainly be missed, not on purpose but because I'll be unaware of them. I always try to remember to tell people NEVER to leave me voice mail, as I may not hear it until months later.

I use the cell phone for little more than times when I need to play telephone tag, which can often include things like visiting with somebody on the road. As such, if I know that a call is coming in, I WILL ANSWER IT pretty much no matter what the circumstances are, because if I don't, I will probably miss that person the next 4 or 17 times they try to call me.

Some things such as visits would have been impossible without playing telephone tag, which involved them calling me back (but I had to be EXTREMELY aware of incoming calls, and - STILL - I usually miss them).

If I'm doing something with others, and I'm expecting a phone call, I'll usually mention it - and even ask him/her/them whether they can let me know the phone is ringing, if I fail to notice it.