Is the mobile phone responsible for a loss of personal identity, and is it creating a society where we no longer think, consider, and act, but see phone and tell?
Examples,

1. I see a blending in work/family/ social boundrys, where individuals are always "on call" and as such the work/family/social divide no longer exists, and it seems (to me) that individuals are losing perspective as boundrys seem not to exist. One's work life seems to be regularly inerupted by TXT from mates, wife, family etc and calls interupt the working day, and individuals are "drawn" into the family/social world while working, leaving me to think that they no longer are able to concentrate and have peace to go about the day. The worker relationship seems to mould into the social/family context. May be good but may be not.

2. I am daily exposed to phone calls from the field, where staff members are seeking, to be heard, ie, "its hot today isn't it" (yep, I think) "How am I meant to do this job? its impossible?" (that one was from a guy who hadnt even got to site yet....)"Im on site and I haven got the correct items" (well go get them then) I put these calls down to the fact the individuals, are seeking to make comment, to tell you something they want you to know, that they know you cant act on but want to pass on their anxiety about the situation, rather then do someting proactive thenselves to resolve the issue.

3. I know people who have company provide mobile phones, for work purposes, who leave them on all the time, not required for work, and answer the phone when it rings and take calls from clients other staffers etc...this could easily be avoided by having two phones, a personal phone and your work phone, it astounds me that for some reason some workers provided with phones leave them on all the time.

4. It seems there is a generation that need to pass on any information immediately, and use the mobile for this. I know of young people, apprentices etc who when given a work mobile rack up bills of $100 of dollars sending TXT, all night long. They get a shock when they go back and relise work only pays for the work related calls.

5. How does an office worker who also has a work mobile, handle 2 phones ringing at the same time, it happens to me, so Ive recently taken to turning off the mobile with a voice message that if its off Im in the office and ring me on that no...My work collegues think this is unusual and I have been crticised for doing it, but I find when Im on the phone, (either one) its distracting when the other rings.

Am I just an old fart? (40 years) does this mobile culture worry anyone else?

Arancini i have many opinions on this... PM or email me your mobile number and i will text them to you or i could email them and you could divert your email to your phone and receive them anytime anywhere. [}:)]

the worst mobile phone event was in the opening ceremony of the 2000 olymics, just showed how much people love their phones. All the athletes in the procession were talking on their phones instead of appreciating the moment. Sad.

I receive between 5 & 20 sms every day at work (and send quite a few too). Distracting? nah. At least I can go check my messages when it suits me, unlike phone calls.

The worst thing is when you're having a conversation/meeting with someone face to face and their phone rings. They stop talking/interrupt you mid sentence to answer it and everyone sits there awkwardly while they chat away at the top of their lungs.

I also feel sorry for retail staff when the customer comes to the counter on the phone and proceeds to point and silently mouth what they want. This is the height of rudeness!

However, I think websites like Facebook are more insidious than mobile phones. Facebook pretends to be about connecting with people, but in reality it's just a popularity contest, time waster (there are 17108 different "Applications" to plug into your facebook), and stalker's paradise.

Hmmm i wonder if i can get a water proof handsfree phone so i can take calls while i,m bottom turning on a bomb.

"hello... errr ..hang on a sec mate..."

Dawn Patrol said...

Yep I get the old customer on the phone. If they come to the till on the phone, I walk away. The look on their face is priceless. It is so rude. If they're are on it when they come to collect the food, they get to have fun trying to pick up a coupla bags with one hand.
Revenge is fun[}:)]

Good on you!

Leech said...

stribo said...

Hmmm i wonder if i can get a water proof handsfree phone so i can take calls while i,m bottom turning on a bomb.

"hello... errr ..hang on a sec mate..."

how embarrassing. have done just that

(with phone in aqua pack)

"Hey Leech, how's the conditions?"
"One sec I just gotta get off this wave and I'll be right with ya...
...yeah it's pumping, get out here!"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA I felt geeky buying a gps the other day I feel better now

If I wasn't crying so much from laughter, I would just be crying coz that is sad sad sad

tell that to the brownies us filipino's..just by coincidence today regarding this thread got the shock when in heavy traffic on a scooter 3 guys without helmets and the driver was calling thru a cellfone a first for me and i noticed he was looking blatantly at other cars trying to pass thru his path..dumb idiot-just him!!!

i thought we were the only onesbut with a billion riders there ought to be a bunch of nitwits[}:)]doing just as..

Leech said...

stribo said...

Hmmm i wonder if i can get a water proof handsfree phone so i can take calls while i,m bottom turning on a bomb.

"hello... errr ..hang on a sec mate..."

how embarrassing. have done just that

(with phone in aqua pack)

"Hey Leech, how's the conditions?"
"One sec I just gotta get off this wave and I'll be right with ya...
...yeah it's pumping, get out here!"

That was me calling you huh???
How about the time Miller and I watched you dog out to the horizon and I call you to see if you OK and you go YEAH its sick are you coming out hahaha

Mobile phones are bad, Facebook is for sicko's and the weirdest and sickest people of all are heavy users of internet forum's, you know the type that have boring private conversations on the forum and try to make the boring conversation amusing, they would have to be the most socially maladjusted individuals of all.

Red5 said...

Mobile phones are bad, Facebook is for sicko's and the weirdest and sickest people of all are heavy users of internet forum's, you know the type that have boring private conversations on the forum and try to make the boring conversation amusing, they would have to be the most socially maladjusted individuals of all.

Red5 ! Where have you been?
We've missed your intelligent and highly insightfull contributions recently.
I hope you didn't have a kiting accident or anything.

I work in an emergency department. It's amazing how often you will go in to see someone who has been waiting many hours. After the first 30sec, their mobile will ring. Then they'll spend the next 5 minutes talking to someone about how long they've been waiting.

That's the real reason that there are signs in hospitals asking you to turn off your mobile. There is NO interference with monitoring equipment

Anyway, I always give them an icy stare, then walk away, and come back after at least 15 minutes

brady said...


That's the real reason that there are signs in hospitals asking you to turn off your mobile. There is NO interference with monitoring equipment

I knew it! Ever since I saw a nurse with a phone on her belt with the display showing it was turned on. I mean, if there was interference surely the staff wouldn't go around with phones turned on.

arancini, I've just finished a book by Hugh Mackay called 'Advance Australia... Where?', it delves into this subject. An interesting read too. Same bloke who wrote 'Reinventing Australia' a while back.