The most recent issue of the AARP Bulletin, (from AARP, which I think stands for the American Association of Retired Persons) printed an interesting poll regarding cellphone etiquette. I realize that polls are not to be taken as the gospel truth because numbers can be massaged into data that the pollsters want, but, as printed, the results were quite intriguing.
The question, posed to respondents in one of two age groups, ages 18-49 and 50-plus was:
What is your level of tolerance when you encounter the following?
(The first percentage given for each question corresponds to the youngest age group: 18-49 and is corresponds to the response - very annoying)
Someone talking loudly on a cellphone in public places: 50% vs 61%
Someone interrupting a conversation to take a call: 34% vs 42%
Ringing cellphone in a theater, library, meeting, etc.: 66% vs 75%
Someone driving and talking on a cellphone: 45% vs 59%
Someone texting while talking to you: 42% vs 61%
Clearly, according to these statistics, the younger age group would seem to have less intolerance to cellphone usage, regardless of where and when, than the fifty-plusers. Yet, I see almost as many 'oldsters' (I guess I can refer to 'us' that way because I am one.) using their cellphones in places and at times, that annoy me, as I do 'youngsters'. True, I do see younger persons texting much more than their elder counterparts. Many respondents in the oldest category probably do not even have texting plans for their cellphone contracts. I have a text plan and I love it but would I text someone else while talking to you? No more so than I would have had a dinosaur phone call (you know, the rotary kind of phone) while you were over having coffee or dinner with me.
Etiquette is etiquette is etiquette. Manners are manners, whether it be at a dinner party, a concert, in church, or while with friends. I can see that there would be a natural generational differing of opinion and actions on many levels but manners should never change, nor have to.
Maybe this poll demonstrates that we 'oldsters' didn't do our jobs very well?
Thoughts, anyone?
Ancora imparo
