Things I Hate # 4 - Smart Phones

Being in the hi-tech industry, it may seem odd that this decade’s most triumphant new gadget technology should get on my tits. But the smart phone, in my opinion, is nothing more than the most insidiously obtrusive invention in human history.

The telephone itself was bad enough. People could suddenly reach you at all hours of the day or night, but ONLY if you were within reach of it. Then they invented the portable phone, so that all of humanity could bother you REGARDLESS of where you were or what you were doing. Now the smart phone allows instant, uninterrupted access, but in MULTIPLE FORMATS! In fact I can count 5 or more methods that people can use to bust my balls at any given moment.

You may argue that if I detest the smart phone so much, I should just turn mine off, or never get one in the first place. The problem with this, however, is that the technology has forced a seismic change to society itself. It is no longer socially acceptable NOT be reachable. It appears rude, aloof or even arrogant.

In fact in terms of manners, receiving smart phone calls is now considered the HIGHEST priority. How many times have you been having a conversation (face to face) with someone, only to be interrupted by a phone call!? The person receiving the call immediately pulls them self from your conversation to answer somebody else’s. And this is considered acceptable behaviour!