Technology Assisted Rudeness
I sat in a funeral last week and witnessed the ultimate act of rudeness. As the thoughtful eulogy neared its emotional peak, it was interrupted by a loud and vulgar sounding ring tone emanating from the purse of an attendee sitting near the front of the group. The purse bore several compartments, each apparently capable of holding the offending mobile phone; the search allowed time for additional blasts of the ring. Adding insult to injury, rather than simply turning the phone off, the lady actually answered and conversed with the caller.
It wasn’t long ago that a sufficient degree of rudeness could be achieved with snickers, smirks, innuendo, or crude remarks. It seems that with today’s technology we have reached a new level, even showing disrespect at funerals.
Someone needs to invent a high-tech way of civilizing cell phone users. It’s obvious that common sense will not work and low-tech methods such as signs asking people turn them off when visiting certain areas are equally ineffective. Maybe we could implement a plan like the old west where cowpokes checked their guns on the way into the saloon.
I did meet a Federal Marshal who was on duty in a Little Rock courtroom; he announced that if anyone’s cell phone went off while court was in session; he would happily store it in a bucket of water until court was adjourned at the end of the day. It was a pretty effective method.–CP