I drive down the street and I notice, as does most other people, that nearly 2/5ths of the cars (if not more) are being driven by people with cell phones up to their ears. And when I'm walking in a store, its nearly the same ratio if not more. Once as I was sitting in the lobby of a hotel after a defensive driving course, I noticed we were all sitting around in a relatively close area that was designed for talking. And boy was everyone talking! On their Cell Phones. So I started to wonder just to what degree cell phone usage halts interaction with people we don't know and would probably never talk to and hear other view points if it wasn't for getting stuck together with nobody else to talk to. So instead of talking to that person next to you and learning about their points of views or discussing the finer points of why they hate George Bush... or just sucking it up and ignoring each other. They whip out the cell phone and begin a over-friendly conversation that screams, "No, I'm not just talking to you because I don't want to talk to the person next to me!" And of course, what do we do? We listen in. Haha, revenge.
Moreover, they are getting more and more technical. I don't have a cell phone, but is it hard to find just plain cell phones now-a-days? You know, one that has two supported features: 1.) When someone dials your number, your phone rings and allows you to talk to them. And 2.) When you dial someone else's number, it rings their phone and lets you talk to them. Text messaging? Na, I can barely type legibly with this big ass keyboard. Picture phone? I don't even have a good negative response for that, I just don't like it. Walky-talkie service? I thought thats what cell phones were supposed to be replacing!
When my friend was still new to marriage, his wife would call him every 20 minutes on their cell phone. And she would yammer in his ear for 30 or more. Thank goodness he can't afford the bills anymore. And when my brother got a hold of one, I got 3 calls in the first 20 minutes he had it. Most of them last a total of 30 seconds. "I'm going here and here, want anything?" ... "No. I would have told you when you left... 3 minutes ago."
I am dreading the day when I break down and actually buy a cell phone. But people just expect you to have one. Then what? Oh wait, they can't call me if I turn it off. Huzzah.