Pretending to look at your phone

Premeditated Joke

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The fact is that phones are more interesting that people. Actually, most things are more interesting than people these days.

Yes, but ironically they're probably looking up something to do with 'people' on their phones. Especially if it's a woman.

Premeditated Joke

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Maybe people just don't enjoy mundane boring conversation just for the sake of it.

Sometimes conversation can be boring. But likewise, sometimes people can't think of anything thing interesting to look up that they're in the right frame of mind for.

Let's face facts. Young people aren't normally reading ebooks on their break. They are usually being a slave to their lizard brain, hitting a flashy message icon or scrolling aimlessly through stupid sh1t other people post.

Premeditated Joke

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Sometimes people go into the canteen for a break and don't want to chat until someone invites them for a chat, and then they enjoy the chat.

What if we all took the view that we're not going to talk unless someone invites us? These days turning down the invitation is a way of letting your peers know that you're cooler than that person.

Bigbagofcans

I'll chat a bit but once it goes awkwardly silent or someone starts talking about Love Island/I'm A Celeb then I'm straight onto my phone.

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

What if we all took the view that we're not going to talk unless someone invites us? These days turning down the invitation is a way of letting your peers know that you're cooler than that person.

Is it? Seriously?

Then nobody would start conversations, I suppose. Some people are more extroverted and some are more shy about starting conversation. What's your point?

If you find nobody wants to have a conversation with you, then I think I know what the problem is...

But do you honestly pretend top look at your phone in the canteen because of what other people might think? I'd find that to be an incredible thing to do.

Torino

I think people are actually addicted to their smart phones, smart phones are a great tool to have, but if you find yourself getting anxious without looking at it for an hour then you probably have a problem.

lalababa

The Irish have the 'gift of the gab'. Although sometimes calling it a gift can be erroneous. In other cultures being quite can be accepted. In Ireland you almost have to talk...to chill hunny bunny out. Not blabbing on inanely or otherwise is seen as rude & disrespectful....like a petulant teen. Of course people have nothing to say/want peace some of the time, but this cannot happen in Eire, one has to be having 'the craic'. Sooo...we 'pretend' to be on our phones. Also staring into space is not allowed here either. It's the same in other countries but to a lesser degree.

Torino

lalababa wrote: »

The Irish have the 'gift of the gab'. Although sometimes calling it a gift can be erroneous. In other cultures being quite can be accepted. In Ireland you almost have to talk...to chill hunny bunny out. Not blabbing on insanely or otherwise is seen as rude & disrespectful....like a petulant teen. Of course people have nothing to say/want peace some of the time, but this cannot happen in Eire, one has to be having 'the craic'. Sooo...we 'pretend' to be on our phones. Also staring into space is not allowed here either. It's the same in other countries but to a lesser degree.

When you develop confidence none of these things you mention matter, a confident person can stare into space without worrying about who is watching.

El_Duderino 09

lalababa wrote: »

The Irish have the 'gift of the gab'. Although sometimes calling it a gift can be erroneous. In other cultures being quite can be accepted. In Ireland you almost have to talk...to chill hunny bunny out. Not blabbing on inanely or otherwise is seen as rude & disrespectful....like a petulant teen. Of course people have nothing to say/want peace some of the time, but this cannot happen in Eire, one has to be having 'the craic'. Sooo...we 'pretend' to be on our phones. Also staring into space is not allowed here either. It's the same in other countries but to a lesser degree.

Staring into space isn't allowed? What are you on about? You might not allow staring into space, but I don't think there's any problem with it.

El_Duderino 09

Torino wrote: »

When you develop confidence none of these things you mention matter, a confident person can stare into space without worrying about who is watching.

100%. These characters must be wracked with self doubt and worry about what other people think of them.

The OP said they actually pretend to be on their phone and they say saw someone else who was sitting drinking tea without looking at their phone and they looked uncool. What a load of nonsense.

Sitting having a cuppa and a taking a break, staring into space, using your phone, having a chat are all normal behaviours. But ultimately, who cares what you do on your break?

Stovepipe

Pretending to be on the phone is compulsory for exiting a courthouse or jail when you want to make the dash to a waiting car and not be addressed by the paps,who will shout your name in the hope that you will give them a photo opportunity.

CollyFlower

stoneill wrote: »

Nobody looks out bus windows anymore, all with head down on their little screens in their virtual world while the real one is just there.

I was standing naked in the garden as the bus went by, not one person saw me.

So disappointing.

Seen a Dublin sightseeing tour bus last week, only about 6 people upstairs all looking at their phones.

Premeditated Joke

Torino wrote: »

a confident person can stare into space without worrying about who is watching.

And when that confident person get the question of "are you alright there John?" it doesn't bother them either.

Premeditated Joke

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Staring into space isn't allowed? What are you on about? You might not allow staring into space, but I don't think there's any problem with it.

Well it's allowed, but you might get people asking "are you okay?"

It reminds me of that scene in 'Six Feet Under' where David Fisher says "I'm thinking, isn't a person allowed to think?".

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

And when that confident person get the question of "are you alright there John?" it doesn't bother them either.

Well, Yeah. Obviously.

Would that question bother you?

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

Well it's allowed, but you might get people asking "are you okay?"

Ok. So what?

"are you okay?"
"yeah, just taking a break"

And if they want to chat they can follow up with a conversation opener or not if they don't want to chat.

Are we talking about normal people here or people who don't understand social interactions? Autistic type people or something similar?

Premeditated Joke

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

or people who don't understand social interactions? Autistic type people or something similar?

Why would you assume that?

Premeditated Joke

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Well, Yeah. Obviously.

Would that question bother you?

I (like most) don't like people implying there's something up with me or feeling there's a chance that same person might later say to someone else "he was acting strange earlier".

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

I (like most) don't like people implying there's something up with me or feeling there's a chance that same person might later say to someone else "he was acting strange earlier".

Speak for yourself. It wouldn't cost me a second thought if someone asked if I was ok.

Sitting drinking a cup of tea and doing nothing else on your break, is a fairly normal thing to do. I wouldn't think less of someone else for doing it and I wouldn't worry about someone else thinking less of me for doing it either

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

Why would you assume that?

I didn't assume it. I asked if its the case. And I think it's a relevant question because its a fairly major lack of understanding of social interactions.

Are we talking about people within the normal range of understanding of social interactions?

Premeditated Joke

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

and I wouldn't worry about someone else thinking less of me for doing it either

I'd think again about that. It would also depend on who the person is!

El_Duderino 09

Premeditated Joke wrote: »

I'd think again about that. It would also depend on who the person is!

I won't bother to think about it again. I'd assume someone was taking a break, end of thought. If It was a mate I might ask if they're ok (if they're worried about something) if is wasn't a close mate, I would just leave them to it without giving it a second thought.

People are allowed to chill out on their break. There's no need to worry about it.

mrcheez

Millennial problems lol

Premeditated Joke

Dakota Dan wrote: »

The op made a short story long which was their downfall as many posters couldn't arsed reading it.

Well actually I have noticed that each and every point I've made in the original post has been referred to.

Titclamp

I pretend do a lot of things.

But looking at a phone?

NO

buried

"pretending to look at their phone" Are they all looking at their empty hand, shaped in a phone/tablet like grip?

Shuhada Davitt

looking at your phone, pretend or otherwise is the crutch of somebody who hasnt got the mental capacity to hold a conversation.

it is a fear in that person that somebody might (god forbid) begin conversing with them and they are unable to hold a conversation.

you can nearly call it as an age thing - like, id say what 35 and younger? - basically none of these people are capable of proper social interactions at all.

there's nothing offensive about saying that, cos, well, they're all the same and they all are unable to do it.

conservation and normal social interactions are a thing of the past and now we just have to get on with things and do most things through the little black screen.

El_Duderino 09

Shuhada Davitt wrote: »

looking at your phone, pretend or otherwise is the crutch of somebody who hasnt got the mental capacity to hold a conversation.

it is a fear in that person that somebody might (god forbid) begin conversing with them and they are unable to hold a conversation.

you can nearly call it as an age thing - like, id say what 35 and younger? - basically none of these people are capable of proper social interactions at all.

there's nothing offensive about saying that, cos, well, they're all the same and they all are unable to do it.

conservation and normal social interactions are a thing of the past and now we just have to get on with things and do most things through the little black screen.

If you cant have a decent conversation with anyone 35 or younger, then that's almost certainly a problem with you. People under 35 aren't mute and they do converse - just not with you

Yester

Sometimes I pretend to look for my phone but I don't really want to find it.

Shuhada Davitt

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

If you cant have a decent conversation with anyone 35 or younger, then that's almost certainly a problem with you. People under 35 aren't mute and they do converse - just not with you

"just not with you"
hahaha what's the problem here?
i never said i had a problem conversing with these people.
and im within that age bracket, so.... you know, think you jumped the gun there pal.

you seem extremely angry or annoyed for no reason?

El_Duderino 09

Shuhada Davitt wrote: »

"just not with you"
hahaha what's the problem here?
i never said i had a problem conversing with these people.
and im within that age bracket, so.... you know, think you jumped the gun there pal.

you seem extremely angry or annoyed for no reason?

Well, you said that none of these people (under 35s) are capable of proper social interactions at all. And that's just not true. Maybe YOU can't have proper social interactions with anyone under 35 whatever age you are. But the under 35s are chatting away not a bother on them.

freshpopcorn

Shuhada Davitt wrote: »

looking at your phone, pretend or otherwise is the crutch of somebody who hasnt got the mental capacity to hold a conversation.

it is a fear in that person that somebody might (god forbid) begin conversing with them and they are unable to hold a conversation.

you can nearly call it as an age thing - like, id say what 35 and younger? - basically none of these people are capable of proper social interactions at all.

there's nothing offensive about saying that, cos, well, they're all the same and they all are unable to do it.

conservation and normal social interactions are a thing of the past and now we just have to get on with things and do most things through the little black screen.

I know some older people. If you met them the odd time they are fine. However they can't really have a conversation.
All the talk about is the good old days when Ireland was great, the roads were safer, when the factories were in town and why they closed, cod liver oil, etc. If you try and talk about something positive or something else they can't.

Rubberchikken

I listen to a book on mine. Can have a conversation if pushed but not bothered if the opportunity doesn't arise

People looking at their phones - real or otherwise - I couldn't care less. It's a free world.

fryup

Titclamp wrote: »

I pretend do a lot of things.

But looking at a phone?

NO

not even when you're walking down the street and you see someone you don't like walking towards you? or is that too obvious?

Greyfox

Shuhada Davitt wrote: »

looking at your phone, pretend or otherwise is the crutch of somebody who hasnt got the mental capacity to hold a conversation.

Or reading something on their phone could me more interesting than talking to a boring person. It doesn't bother me as when I talk to people who are looking at their phone the person always talks back to me. The only time when you shouldn't be buried in your phone is when your in a social occasion with family or friends.