The question and answer about texting while with friends doesn't address what seems to me like the obvious issue: some people need to be in communication with someone who is not present and their choice is between sitting at home alone waiting for a call (or text), or going out with friends and texting as necessary. When I'm with friends, I prefer that they not be texting soeone else, but if it's a choice between having them text or having them not be present at all because they need to be in communication with someone not present, I choose the texting.

i AM generation text. but i do prefer if ppl not carry on texting with ppl who aren't there AND not even coming. it's rude to blow off ppl who ARE there and set out today to enjoy your company, b/c the person on the other side of the phone is trying to text you. that's what voicemail and inboxes are for. if you KNOW from the get go that ppl ARE going to contact you about something and you HAVE to take that call, have at it. but if nothing pressing is happening or going to happen, then love the one('s) you're with.

Interesting. What's your take on spelling, grammar and punctuation?

I know a girl who freely admits she has ADD. I don't know if she's ever been diagnosed, but it seems somewhat liberating for her.

Our society is so much about "multi-tasking" which is a fancy way of saying doing a bunch of things average instead of doing one thing really well. I was just reading a study on attention that basically found when you get taken away from an activity-- to check email or answer the phone-- it takes 25 minutes to fully pick up at where you were at before.

This is quite interesting, because who among us ever does a single thing for 25 minutes at a stretch! In our jobs, most of us would say that's flat out impossible. So we're doing a whole bunch of stuff...but is it any good?!?

I think it's that our country has devolved to a lower standard socially. Basic politeness seems to have disappeared in favor of the me/I/ME entitlement attitude, especially with the younger set. I don't understand why anyone would get together with friends, and then ignore them. If you aren't interested in interacting with your friends, why have them in the first place? I don't buy the argument that there is a pressing need to take calls/texts during a social outing. Please... That is highly unlikely to be the case and, if it is, I'm sure the group could be informed accordingly in advance. Nope, it all boils down to our general disregard these days for basic standards of conduct. Very disheartening...

i am also of generation text, but i find excessive cell phone use to be incredibly rude. i take my phone with me everywhere, but if i'm at dinner or out with someone, i most likely won't answer (although i will read a text or listen to a voice mail to see if it's anything important). but if it's a) not important enough to call me and leave a message, and/or b) has nothing to do with anyone involved in the current or short term future plans, it gets left until later. and yes, it does occassionally irk my more "pay attention to me NOW" friends, but for the most part they have learned to humor me.

that being said, you should probably get a phone at some point. it's very, very useful to have, and completely possible to use only at YOUR convenience, and not everybody else's (which seems to be the main problem with our generation: that everyone seems to believe that a cell phone is for the caller's convenience, when really, it's for the cell phone's owner).

there's a basic level of gratification-seeking here. For the YouTube generation, the more eyes that are on you the better. I don't fault them for it; they didn't invent the means to do any of it.

I do find it kind of annoying that people equate social acceptance with success, as in someone with more Facebook friends is more successful than someone with fewer. What I wonder, though, is anybody doing anything?!? It looks like a whole lot of naval-gazing to me, instead of writing a novel or becoming a community activist-- something where you're actually doing something that engenders fascination and respect from your fellow man and not just collecting "friends"!

It seems to me the folks that are really into this have like 3,000 friends on MySpace...and they have to manage that life! Like it does take work. ha! But what I can't figure out is if the person at the center of all that is doing something interesting, or if she's just socially networking for sake of socially networking!

Oh, you poor, poor, egotistical vapids. Poor things, not EVERYONE in the room is paying attention to you. While some would take this as a measure that they're boring and try and fix themselves, YOU selfishly have to stamp your little foot and jiggle your curls a la Shirley Temple having a conniption and DEMAND that everyone keep their eyes raptly attached to YOU.

I've heard you tell the story you're yammering 5 times just this month, let alone the thousands of times you've spewed it before, so forgive me if I take a second to answer someone who contacted me with something IMPORTANT.

If you think that's rude - here - LET ME SHOW YOU BEING RUDE: "Shut the f**k up you fat sow, you're still dressing like you're in your twenties and you're not fooling ANYONE, and you're boring the hell out of EVERYONE, he was right to leave your skanky ass and move on with his life, and if we had any balls at all, we'd all get up and leave you here, and don't you DARE think that you'll skate from paying your portion of the check this time, you stingey-assed b*tch!"

Wow. Bitter much?

If you clicked on dinglebarry's name you will find a list of posts simulare to this. Probably just someone starved for attention.

This is in response to dingle_derry_doo and the very dumb posting that he/she wrote.

Asking that people who are in a group or doing something else stop texting and or calling other people who AREN'T coming to that event isn't rude . . . . it is common curtesy for those who are out with other people to show some respect and pay attention to those who are present.

As an educator I know from personal experience that students who have their cell phones permanently stuck to their hands acheive less and obtain lower grades than their peers who concentrate in class and are less absorbed with their phones. Cell phones in schools provide unnecessary interruptions and disruptions to the classroom and school environment. It has been proven time and time again that students who are focused and have fewer distractions in class learn more and achieve more. How are our students supposed to learn and achieve if they are constantly checking their texts and calls to see who broke up with whom, who got into a fight, what Jane said that was so hilarious, and what the party plans are for tonight?

And before you go off on another rant, please know that I am from the IM generation as well . . . . but from my parents I learned how to respect others. Yes, I have my cell phone on and on me at all times. NO, I do not answer it in the middle of class, nor do I send texts when I am with friends. My phone is just that, a phone. I use it to call people, to organize my life, and to listen to music, but it is not a replacement for daily interaction with people, friends, and buisness partners.

I can tell you that unless the house is on fire or someone has just died, that phone call or text is not important. Trust me on this, if that person needs you they will call you again or find a way to get your attention.

I disagree with you all- at 18, I'm from 'generation text' as well, and I apoligise on behalf of my seemingly illiterate generations posts on this thread so far- hopefully it doesn't tarnish my argument. Fair enough if you are talking one on one to some one, they deserve your attention, but a whole group? I can text while I listen, big deal. I'm not taking away their thunder if my phone is on silent, I think this is respectful enough.

Also in reponse to the teacher who disproves of their student using a phone- I have had many teachers interrupt the class and take calls and read texts, only to turn around and accuse a student of distraction. I'm not saying you do, but please do not blame us kids for all your hangups. Its an issue of manners, not age. I think as long as a student, or person, has the phone on silent, he/she is not disturbing anyone. It is their choice if they should concentrate in their class (its their choice to be there in the end, no?) or in the conversation. And perhaps the lack of phone distraction in class correlates to lack of social distraction on the whole?

Be careful what you wish for. Asking your friends to relax on their social life might just see you shunted out of it.

msclause:

I think as long as a student, or person, has the phone on silent, he/she is not disturbing anyone. It is their choice if they should concentrate in their class (its their choice to be there in the end, no?) or in the conversation.

You are too young to be more than just barely in college so you must be talking about high school. And I do believe it is the law that kids be in school during the school day - it isn't their choice at all. In the same way, to the best of adult's abilities, it isn't their choice if they pay attention or not either.

Why? Kids are little id driven creatures. You don't allow them choices on what is best for them or by the time they are adults they will be to screwed up to function in society.

What people do with their friends is up to them. Cell phones in school should have a special holding box by the door - pick it up in an emergency but otherwise kids don't need to have them.

Last week I was out with a group. Not all of us knew each other. We all texted at least one person. I am 36, the others were between 29 and 39. We all have college degrees, most had masters or doctorates and work for the State Attorney's office. Some of us own our own businesses. We were all out to enjoy the evening our own way and didn't feel that if someone was texting they were hurting our feelings by not giving us their attention. You shouldn't need that much attention from any one person that is not your other half, or from someone who is paying their own way out and enjoying the evening their way.