Ear Pollution and Cell Phone Etiquette

Remember when movie theaters were reserved for film watching and the word “cell” was not a prefix to the word “phone”? Most of us, I should hope, know better than to talk on our cell phones when inside a movie theater.

Cell Phone Use is Out of Control 

REMEMBER when movie theaters were reserved for film watching and the word “cell” was not a prefix to the word “phone”? Most of us, I should hope, know better than to talk on our cell phones when inside a movie theater. However, I recently had the pleasure of sitting near a 20-something-year-old woman who apparently had been raised in a barn and did not grasp such a concept.

Not only did she choose to answer her phone when the movie started playing, but she also stayed inside the theater while doing so. She spoke loudly, all the while ignoring every harsh look I shot her way, signaling that she was distracting me from the movie. But no, she was too preoccupied with making plans to go out with her friend to notice my frustration.

Never mind that we both paid the same $8 to see “Coach Carter.” Never mind that she could have easily stepped out to speak with that very important person about that very serious topic. Never mind that she was on the phone during a movie, or while working out at the gym, or during church.

Maybe our compulsion has something to do with our learned reaction to a ringing home telephone. At home with only our family members, telephone etiquette was not an issue. Whoever was closest picked it up. Plus, you could talk for a long time because the only people who could hear you lived with you and knew everything about you anyway. But those were the days when the phone was wired to the wall or would only work up to 50 feet away from the charger. Now that we all have satellite technology, we seem to be taking that same attitude when we are out somewhere in public.

Cell phones are a recent phenomenon that is peaking at a time when general social standards are declining. Interacting with others was simpler when our pockets were not ringing every minute. Cell phone users do not make the effort to socialize with new people. Instead, we turn to our cell phones at the slightest feeling of insecurity. 

We have all been distracted by a classmate's phone going off during a lecture. Maybe you were that offending student. The professor tries his or her best to keep the focus on the subject, but somehow everyone ends up looking in the direction of the cell phone ring.

If you have felt replaced by someone on the other line of a cell phone only once, you must be living under a rock. Cell phone etiquette may not seem like a big deal until you think of those instances where you were the one being inconvenienced. It is about time that we changed this pattern.

Be civil. The polite approach is to speak first with the person right in front of you. If you must answer a cell phone call in a public place, step outside and look around to make sure you are not invading anyone else's privacy. If you absolutely must answer the phone, keep the conversation short. If they have good cell phone etiquette, the person on the other end should understand.

Those around in the movie theater will appreciate your taking time out from that oh-so-important cell phone. After all, they did not pay $8 to hear you gossip. – Kristi Scott Opinions Editor, Citrus College Clarion, 2005

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia