In Over Your Head

iPhone checking is a sickness

I know it’s happened to you. I know you’ve already succumbed to it.

But I, the voice of reason, am here to tell you to stop. You need to hear it, and nobody else has the balls to tell you, so I guess it has to be me.

Stop checking your fucking iPhone while you’re talking to me.

Would you do it if you were talking to the President? Would you do it while talking to your boss? I’m going to guess the answer is no.

By checking your damn iPhone while talking to me, you’re saying “You’re not as important as this message I’m receiving.”

The impression you’re leaving people with is “You’re not worth my time.”

If you already have a modicum of sense in you, you know this. But you do it anyway. Sounds a lot like gambling, smoking, or compulsive eating, doesn’t it?

Well you’ve learned to put down the fork. Now learn to put down the fucking iPhone.

Thank you.

Posted

in

by

Joe Gannon

Comments

27 responses to “iPhone checking is a sickness”

  1. Rob McDougall Avatar
    Rob McDougall

    What you forget is that the iPhone releases a tasty morsel of seratonin when you check it…

    Reply
  2. Brent Morris Avatar
    Brent Morris

    I went on a date a few months ago with a woman who couldn’t stop talking on her fucking blackberry. Now I know I twitter way too much but this was super annoying.

    Reply
  3. Jason R Avatar
    Jason R

    No chance they are activating the voice memo app because what you are saying is so scintillating they want to record it?

    Apposite to that, I take notes on my iPhone at meetings. That way I don’t lunk around a laptop. Somehow scratching on a notepad with a pen is still privileged but syncing and sharing my notes in real-time on a device is considered gouache.

    Reply
  4. Jason R Avatar
    Jason R

    Um, maybe it would be gouache if I were painting with my left-hand. Grr, gauche spellchecker something something.

    Reply
  5. Googlover Avatar
    Googlover

    It is super crazy-the way phones can give people a sense of importance. There are people who literally flip, tap or mess with their phone every time you see them. I understand it is a status thing(primarily if you have the latest device) and you have to let everyone see-but come’on lets have some face time.

    Reply
  6. Alphonse Hà Avatar
    Alphonse Hà

    Perhaps I am insensitive, but if I get a txt I glance at it quickly to see what it is. I don’t read it.

    If I am going to read it, I will say “I’m still listening to you”.

    I also tend to repeat what the person just said while I was looking at my phone. So they know I was listening to them. I don’t see it as a disrespectful action… That’s just my opinion though.

    Reply
  7. jaywest Avatar
    jaywest

    I feel the same way about Bluetooth headsets. It says “I am ready to allow anyone interrupt what I am doing right now.” I see dads all the time wearing Bluetooth headsets while hanging with their families. It seems just as ignorant as smoking while their kids are in the car.

    Reply
  8. Tyler Hurst Avatar
    Tyler Hurst

    Who gives a shit? Either ask them to stop or get over it. Bitching won’t get you anywhere.

    Maybe you just aren’t that interesting.

    Reply
  9. Tracy Lee Carroll Avatar
    Tracy Lee Carroll

    It all comes down to respect… Something that people have been believing that they don’t need anymore in the digital age.

    Reply
  10. blork Avatar
    blork

    Just as the world is divided into Mac people and PC people, so too is it divided into iPhone people and Blackberry people.

    In corporate environments it’s almost 100% Blackberry. However, the same problem exists. You can’t have a conversation with someone without them looking at their Blackberry every 30 seconds. Worse still is that you can see them scrolling and reading messages in the middle of your conversation. GET OVER IT! Can’t those emails wait two minutes? DAMN!

    Reply
  11. Tom Avatar
    Tom

    I know. It’s like when people do a blog post just to bitch at someone.

    Reply
  12. Jeremy Meyers Avatar
    Jeremy Meyers

    People who check their phones while talking to people are at that moment not appreciating being in the moment, that this moment is all that there is. They’re looking for the next thing, because being present is hard for them.

    Give them love, for they (as all) need it.

    Reply
  13. Eric Jean Avatar
    Eric Jean

    To all smartphone users:

    When is the last time you consciously chose not to answer that call / return that message / reply to that text right in the moment?

    When’s the last time you shut your phone off?

    There’s a desperate fear somewhere in there. More importantly, there’s a total loss of self-control. We’ve all been conditioned to the same pavlovian response – we can’t just NOT be available anymore.

    We have made ourselves slaves to other people’s intrusive demands for our time and attention.

    Who’s in control – the phone or the user?

    Reply
  14. CT Moore Avatar
    CT Moore

    What if I’m reading this post on an iPhone? Does that count?

    Reply
  15. Mtn. Jim Avatar
    Mtn. Jim

    well said my man! stop your friggin’ multitasking and focus on us for a bit will ya? when we’re done, go fer it, except while driving,ok?!!

    Mtn. Jim

    Reply
  16. Reg Blank Avatar
    Reg Blank

    re: Tyler – there’s no maybe in your case; you’re definitely an un-ironic bore.

    double points for this point. most people wouldn’t masturbate in public, yet fiddling with one’s hand over this device for their own auto-gratification is acceptable behavior.

    lift a finger and open an ear or eye when you’re out and about. that simple.

    Reply
  17. oddmartini Avatar
    oddmartini

    I’ve had a woman texting some other guy all through a date with her…
    What does that say about her? About me?

    Reply
  18. Diane Brogan Avatar
    Diane Brogan

    Great post and oh so true. Don’t pretend to have a conversation with me. If it is only 15 seconds, be here in the present – then go play with your phone thingy.

    Reply
  19. billyjacks Avatar
    billyjacks

    If I’m standing within a few feet of someone while they talk, they should hopefully understand that they took some sort of priority over many other people.

    All the same… If I get an Oh My God Becky text or email in on my mobile leash, I at least have to take a moment to respond. It’s only fair since I am giving you face time instead of them.

    They already know they they weren’t important enough for me to be physically there with them. I don’t want the guilt of potentially missing the crucial text about how their doctor just told them their couch is on fire.

    And I apologize if this comment seems a little disheveled. I started typing it and then someone sent me link to youtube of a cat playing piano. U srsly need 2 c it!!! XD

    Reply
  20. Ahuna Avatar
    Ahuna

    I went on a date a few months ago with a woman who couldn't stop talking on her fucking blackberry. Now I know I twitter way too much but this was super annoying….

    Reply
  21. Jay S. Fleischman Avatar
    Jay S. Fleischman

    If a client or friend checks their iPhone (or BlackBerry, or takes a call, or whatever) when I’m with them, I simply do the same. I make sure I’m still occupied when they finish, and I make them wait.

    Funny how it makes them realize just how annoying it is.

    In “Stranger In A Strange Land,” one character describes another character kissing as, “with his whole being.” I’ve always extrapolated that to having a goal of doing one thing with all of your concentration if you think it’s worthwhile.

    And if it’s not worthwhile, don’t do it at all.

    Reply
  22. mike Avatar
    mike

    You have got to be kidding me…

    You don’t like people checking their phone while they speak to you?? maybe you should move back to 1989.

    Get over it goof… its just not that big a deal.

    dingbat.

    (by the way, i would do it while i spoke to the president… but you are not the president you are a whiney nobody who has fallen behind the times.)

    Reply
  23. Ricardo Bueno Avatar
    Ricardo Bueno

    So is checking in on your crackberry. I’ve trained myself to put my phone on silent. And if I’m every meeting someone for coffee, I certainly don’t check my phone (I’m there, in the conversation).

    The other day though I knew I was waiting on an important email and phone call to come through so I very politely asked my guest if it was ok that I place my phone on the table and if I might excuse myself for a quick minute or two for a message I was awaiting. They didn’t mind at all but rather appreciated that I took the time to ask.

    It’s not that difficult to do something as simple as that (in my opinion)…

    Reply
  24. krell Avatar
    krell

    But what if my iPhone IS more important than you?

    Ever think about that?

    Reply
  25. Clinton Avatar
    Clinton

    I know plenty of people who always bring their phones into meetings and plop them on the table. Then glance at them from time to time. Why? Even if it’s work related, it can wait 30 minutes. Really. Life will go on if you don’t read your email or get that facebook update or IM or call or Tweet immediately. I promise you — IT CAN WAIT A FEW MINUTES. But, Julien, I think you missed it by simply calling out iPhones. Crackberry users, Android fans, etc. are also guilty.

    Reply
  26. Izwan Avatar
    Izwan

    “…Don’t look at your WATCH or the mirror behind me and start fixing your hair too.”

    Reply
  27. John McLachlan Avatar
    John McLachlan

    It’s always about YOU, Julien. Sheesh.

    🙂

    Reply

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