To be saddened by the behaviour of the public

[diligesmore]

In regards to the Queen’s coffin in Edinburgh. As it makes its way through the city the public have their phones out so blatantly and some with smiles on their faces.

Similarly, people shoved their phones in Charles’ face when he greeted the crowd outside Buckingham Palace.

Haven’t we lost our way a bit? Do they really need a photo or video when they should just be kind, present and respectful?

Its driving me mad thank god someone else has said it
You can tell the ones that are there for the right reasons sombre respectful and the ones there for social media uploads

Put your fucking phones down
It's not the jubilee it's not a fucking party
It's grim

I'm so sad to say it but I believe that overall this is true of our Country. There are many reasons for this too.

I hate this too. At a recent tribute concert for Foo Fighters musician Taylor Hawkins, you could see too many people filming it. Winds me up.

And people who shove to the front and take pictures of something significant. People at the the Louvre where the Mona Lisa stands for example. Ffs, you've spent more than a month's wages to see a landmark or building only to stare at it through a viewfinder on your phone, shoving people out of the way and generally being an arse.

YABU

Although I agree that many people don’t live in the moment as they’re too busy using their screens but this is a historical even that they obviously want to document.

I actually have a photo of myself and the Queen from not that long ago and if I hadn’t used my phone I wouldn’t have gotten that photo.

Correct, Ive just made a similar point on another thread

I think part of the problem is that humans, particularly younger ones think that everything that is 'now' is brand new, never done before, 'invented', whether that be fighting for human rights and the environment, or bad behaviour by others, its always someone else of course

But the reality is that humans do not change, we are not different. Our tools might be different but our behaviour is not.

I was at Green Park/Buckingham Palace today. I was taken aback by people taking selfies. They’d put their wrapped flowers on the gates -which they’re not meant to do - and then stand there taking selfies, smiling and laughing. And they cheered when Charles came through by car. And more photos and videos.

In my experience, no matter what aspect of life you talk about, half the world appears to be glued to their phones now. I am not sure they'd know how to function or string two words (or thoughts) together if they didn't have the phone...

@FunsizedandFabulous

omg yes taking a photo of the Mona Lisa and not actually looking at it with their actual eyes!! Why??? There are a million better quality photos all over the internet. Are they really going to go home and look fondly at the crap photo they took on their phone. It’s just to prove to all their pea-brained mates that they were there I guess

Well, this is very true. But as a lifelong republican I'd simply not have turned up in the first place, rather than come along and behave in a way I wouldn't ordinarily consider doing in the presence of a funeral cortege. It's a bit like overtaking a funeral procession on the road. Just not a thing I'd personally ever do.

SM takes the rap for a lot of this kind of behaviour, but it's always gone on. Case in point is the awful rubberneckers constantly blocking carriageways and making people's journeys five times longer and ten times more frustrating while they gawk at someone's accident. And for what? There's nothing particularly fascinating about a heap of mangled metal.

Seems some humans have a voyeuristic tendency to gawp at any unfolding tragedy, as long, of course, as it's someone else's tragedy.

I agree it is annoying to watch and a shame. But most people don’t mean any harm by it. Hopefully it will change at some stage and people can actually enjoy the moment/be respectful in the moment again.

Thank you so much, @diligesmore , I thought exactly the same thing & almost posted but thought I would get flamed..
Just a sea of phones, no-one in black, few heads bowed or hats removed.. I have never, in my life, started a sentence with "In my day.." but I felt like it today. :-(

It's been like this for years. I remember when Paul walker died in the car accident and some of his co-stars came to pay their respects at the crash site, they were very clearly distressed crying and were recorded, photos taken of them in that state by 'fans'

The reality is only a small proportion of the population is really mourning. The rest recognise that mourning the death of a 96 year old stranger would be a strange thing to do.

I was at the palace & most people couldn't see so held up phones to be able to record a glimpse.

Everyone was sombre & clapping as she went into the palace

People use their phones too much but at least they turned out. Would be way worse if no-one had bothered.

I’m 25, and I do feel that my generation in particular just exist on social media. It’s frustrating. I do understand taking pictures at events, but a funeral is different, regardless of whose it is.

I thought it was just me @diligesmore Thank you for posting this. People were shaking hands with one hand, holding their phones up with the other. Can't they just be in the moment?

I just watched the video on the news, I found the clapping strange tbh. Maybe because I was always taught to bow my head and be quiet when a hearse went by 🤷‍♀️

Oh piss off.

the royalty have always relied on invoking public spectacle and macabre fascination. Have you read any history at all? Pomp, ceremony, spectacle. Its never been any different. It was hugely captured in historical texts, more than the lives of ordinary people. This is really, really no different. They employ PR and communications specialists. They will be delighted we are still buying into it in such a manner. Other countries we are closely aligned with got rid of their monarchies 3-4 hundred years ago or slimmed them down massively. It’s fascinating we haven’t. But they are killing it in terms of publicity, propaganda and celebrity.

I heard one woman who, instead of offering condolences to the Prince of Wales, told him to call her if his children wanted karate lessons, saying she ran a business! What are people thinking seriously!

You won't remember the moment if you see it through a screen (scientifically proven, but ironically I can't remember how to search for the study), and the picture will probably be crap anyway.

Live in the moment, the real moment, not through your phone camera.

It's very weird that people would want a picture/video of the Queens hearse/coffin. You take pictures on your phone to look back on, can't imagine looking back on pictures/videos of anyone's coffin in their hearse.

I fell out with my BIL at my sister's funeral because of this. He wanted certain things to be filmed, but none of the family did, we thought it crass and disrespectful...and frankly still do.

I cannot fathom why looking back at a funeral would ever be a nice thing to relive. Plus having our devastating grief recorded for anyone to view made us incredibly upset and uncomfortable.

Speak for your self not me! It’s a myth that the British are polite and respectful. I don't follow the royal family, but I hate the must get it on a phone carry on.