Popularity of Mobile Phones and Time with People

Opinion
By Scott McLean

I don't own a mobile phone. If it were my choice, I'd never own one. While it makes sense to carry a phone in case of an emergency, I like to focus entirely on the people I'm with and when I'm alone don't want to talk on a phone.

A few years ago, the day I arrived in Makati (a very cool city, by the way), I couldn't believe how many people were using their phones in public, as they were walking down the street, dining in restaurants or hanging out in a coffee shops. Who were they calling without actually speaking to anyone?? Maybe they were accessing their voice mail, I reasoned.

No, it turned out many of them were reading or sending text messages (it hadn't caught on yet in the U.S.), which I was told is cheaper than talking on the phone. Well, that's cool! I'm not against saving money.

But then the same feeling I had years ago when I was in an airport and everyone was talking on phones (they didn't pay attention to the people with them), that nervous tension took a hold of me.

At the time, I was a victim of people close to me paying more attention to "their damn phones" than to me. It felt lousy! I didn't want to form deep relationships and friendships with mobile phones.

I like people, not phones. But some people value things (phones, cars, computers, etc.) more than time with their family and friends.

I'll write more on this topic later.