To think people should just put their bloody phones down

[Underworld345]

Going through Instagram stories before nodding off.

People filming their night and their company at restaurants, bars etc. but they are pretty much filming other people staring at their phones.

Seriously, why can’t people just put their phones down and enjoy themselves and their company without being glued to their social media.

Same reason you’re glued to looking at other people’s nights out on Instagram. Why not watch a film, listen to music or read a book rather than vacuous scrolling?

I was waiting for that comment. My post was more to do with staring at your phone when you’re meant to be socialising and enjoying others company.

I was at a concert the other night and the opening number was one of the groups most well known bounciest tunes....people all around me standing STOCK still filming it. What the fuck is wrong with people, dance! sing ! move around! Put your bloody phone down!!! So No YANBU it gives me the rage and spoiled my pleasure of the evening.

Beats me, I hate watching parents on their phones instead of talking to their own children or even making eye contact.
1984 predicted the masses staring down at their screens, and it’s come true . Like people unable to watch a performance unless they are simultaneously recording it.

Yes, tothesea. Exactly like that.

Totally agree. I use my phone when there is no chance of communication. So when DPis watching football on TV or kids have went to bed. Not sitting in a restaurant

I dunno, it’s just a bit of fun in most cases I think? If my family are friends are on holiday or somewhere nice I’m interested (to a degree!) in what they’re up to.

I love my phone I'm on it all the time. Even now.

I like my phone a lot but when I go out with people it hardly ever comes out as I am busy socialising. So I agree, if you are out with people you should enjoy their company and not stare at your phone.

Yeah I agree it’s also nice to see what people are up to. This story in particular which set off this post was from Anna (from love island) filming a get together meal with the other love island girls. Moving around the table, pretty much all were on their phones, not just the odd one.

See it all the time though. People have definitely got too hung up on social media.

YANBU. Special mention to those who walk at a glacial pace, stop at totally random moments, or walk into you, all because they can't look up from their phone. Why the fuck would you walk around with your eyes glued to a screen?

When I am empress of the world, walking and staring at your phone / kindle will be a custodial offence. If you need it to look at a map (reasonable), step to one side and then look.

But how will you cope at bedtime if you don't have all those pictures to scroll through and be judgemental about?

If you don't like it, don't fuel it by gawping.

I don't use my phone when I'm having a conversation with someone. I will, however, take photos of my friends or interesting things I see while out and about, and because I'm interested in food and restaurants, as are most of my friends who follow me on social media, I sometimes take a quick snap of a meal before I eat it. I also look at my phone if I'm sitting alone waiting for someone or while they've gone to the loo or whatever, because the label on my wine bottle only provides me with about 4 seconds of reading matter. I don't think that spells the end of civilisation, really, does it?

Agree OP. Basically it's all about boasting - if it's not on social media it didn't happen. People can't just go and have a nice time somewhere, they've got to film/photograph it so they can stick it on social media and make sure all their "friends" know they've been having an amazing time (even if they haven't).

I will stop on a run and take a photo sometimes if it is a pretty scene, but I often don't even have my phone with me.

When I am empress of the world, walking and staring at your phone / kindle will be a custodial offence. If you need it to look at a map (reasonable), step to one side and then look

Yes!

I think there is something in that @berlinbabylon. It might not necessarily be always boasting, but ‘we’ have fallen into a trap of having to document everything and share it in order to almost validate it as an experience.

It’s probably just the evolution of having everyone round to watch your holiday slideshow. To an extent people have always done it, it’s just more accessible now.

I don’t see the harm in snaps or the odd video from an experience. But I agree that some people are surely spending so much time documenting the experience, they forget to actually have the experience.