Modern technology and busyness

I agree. Soometimes DH and I notice that it's nice on the rare occasion we don't have our phone with us. Having the phone is even a way to wind down at night. He plays Words with Friends in bed (with loud notifications) and I often play Trivia Crack. I guess it's like having a book. I think people think they look like they're brokering the next big deal while they're on their phone when really, they're probably texting their kid about what's for dinner. I like my phone as much as the next person but it does become a social crutch especially when alone. If you notice at Starbucks or similar places, most people are on a device. it can make you oblivious to your surroundings.

DH has commented too that people seem more frazzled nowadays. We were saying it may relate to never being "off the clock." People expect to reach you nearly 24/7 now so there isn't much time to decompress and get away from the work stress/home life. Just my two cents.

I think friends should not cancel plans via text. It's very impersonal and rude.

Its almost as if we think we're missing out if we're not constantly connected. I was waiting in the doctor's recently and couldn't use my phone so I found myself just sitting, watching and thinking.....and I couldn't remember the last time I had done that!

As faster deliveries, smarter technology comes along we're impatient for everything else to catch up but I wouldn't be surprised if we see a reversal in a few years (decade?) time and the pendulum will swing back to a slower pace being more desirable.

Eta, somehow it almost seems cool to be busy, rushing, in demand and almost selfish in the "Me me!!" society.

I'm one of those people you see in public because I rarely do much on my phone at home. If everyone is home, I usually don't have it nearby. If I'm by myself, it's pure bliss to play a game uninterrupted!

I agree that technology has made us more impatient. That and Amazon Prime (overnight delivery). I was checking an online order because it was "taking too long," almost two weeks! But I ordered during a sale so they're probably busy; it was a custom item, which probably takes longer; they are a small business; and they're sending USPS, so who knows how long that will take. Considering all that, two weeks really isn't that long. I'll be waiting another few days before I inquire where my order is.

I've noticed if I don't reply to a personal text/voicemail/email "immediately," sometimes the sender becomes impatient. I'm one of those odd ducks that isn't attached to my cell phone 24/7. If I'm at a meeting at work, I don't bring my cell phone or if I do, I don't answer unless I am expecting a call. If I'm at home, my cell phone is often in my purse. I don't have it next to me when I'm eating dinner.

I think another factor is that 25 years ago or so people stopped disciplining their children about a lot of things, and started requiring that everything be fair to their child. I remember watching it happen, all of the sudden children were no longer responsible for their conduct and everyone had to get a trophy. LOL I think that has caused people to be both entitled and judgmental. Not only are people rude over the smallest thing, but they also have started demanding apologies and/or terminations over the smallest infractions. Peas, for instance, have a long history of wanting to fire workers over rather insignificant things like a retail worker who didn't properly handle a transaction. (And, I'm not even referring to turkeygate! LOL) I think that the impatience and rudeness we experience now is a combination of technology and entitlement/being judgmental.

I never have a problem waiting for an order unless it has been promised by a certain time and it didn't arrive. Even then I give the sender the benefit of a doubt. I remember when it took "6-8 weeks" for anything to come in the mail from catalogs and such. That waiting for packages example is the "I walked 10 miles in the snow to get to school" story that I tell to my kids! LOL

Maybe. But the technology that allows me to read my book on my phone while sitting in a doctor's office makes me very happy. I don't have to lug around books anymore. Isn't it the best? I used to take practically an entire suitcase of books with me on vacation. Now I can take a hundred with me, and it still fits in my purse. Pure bliss for an introvert.

I don't know, I still go to lunch and have coffee with friends, and no phones or devices are out.

I never seem to run into all the really rude people that peas do. I like going grocery shopping, and chat with the cashier and people in line and can't remember ever having the nastiness that peas seem to see. I like my kids' friends, and their parents are nice, too.

I often wonder if I'm the jerk everyone else is talking about and I'm just oblivious to it, LOL.

In general I'm not judgy about people and their phones. Sometimes I simply need to work from my phone. I'm not on my phone 24/7 and I actually *do* make time to do "nothing" so personally I feel like I'm fine. I try to keep that in mind when I see other people with their phones. Being able to work from our phones has freed DH and I both up to do a lot of stuff we would normally not be able to do with our kids.

I will say however, the past two weeks we have had 2-3 instances at work where clients have been absolutely IRATE they were not responded to within minutes...on a weekend...after regular business hours...when they had already been told their agent was spending time with family. Their response was absolutely ridiculous! These were not time sensitive questions in the least. They simply wanted additional information, which we would have to request from a government office during business hours, and were furious that the response they got was "I got your text/email and just wanted to let you know I'm out of the office. I will check on that first thing Monday morning and give you a call as soon as I have the information."