Intrusive Nature of Mobile Phones

It is kind of ironic that Chapter 6 in Ling was assigned for tomorrow since I was just recently discussing the intrusive nature of cell phones with my roommate. We were at a nice restaurant. Everyone was enjoying their overly priced meals. And then it happened--the ringing of a cell phone interrupted the peace. The interruption, I'm ashamed to say, came from our own table. The person who we were with, who shall remain nameless, had no qualms about answering her phone and having a 10 minute conversation with god-knows-who about what her boyfriend had done to her the previous evening.

Ling writes "2/3 of the respondents in a European-wide survey either 'tended to agree' or agreed'" that the mobile phone disturbs people. Well, I can say from experience, and the dirty looks we received, that this number seems to even be a bit low--especially within a restaurant setting. People go to a restaurant and establish "symbolic fenses," (125) to create a private space for themselves within a public setting. A ringing cell phone disturbs all who are around and subsequently deconstructs the symbolic fenses people have created.

Someone talking on their cell phone also creates what Goffman called "sound interference" (128). Ling writes, "In this case the violator fills up his or her accorded space [booth, table, etc.] and then some." This is often magnified in public places like restaurants because people who talk on a cell phone talk louder than if they were having a normal conversation. Ling writes that some argue the increased volume of talk stems from a "desire to display" (129). A New York Times article echoes these sentiments saying cell phone abusers use their phones in public settings to simply say "Look at ME. Listen to ME. Stop everything you are doing at your own table, and pay attention to ME."

Restaurateurs have recognized the disruptive nature of the cell and some restaurants are actually stepping up to stand up for those (myself included) who do not enjoy these disruptions of their meals while some restaurants are simply turning a blind eye. Restaurant.org says most of the restaurants are not opposed to cell phone use as long as it is not clearly disrupting others or does not go on for an extended period of time. This however, is very rarely the case. This website mentions Danny Meyer, an owner of 4 NYC restaurants and his disdain for the cell phone. He writes in his spring newsletter: “If clouds of cigarette smoke and pungent fragrances like Giorgio and Poison were the dining-room scourges of the ’80s, then the rampant, inconsiderate use of cell phones in restaurants has become their baneful heir as we approach the year 2000.”

So I ask, would it be so terribly difficult to excuse one's self to field an important phone call? And if you MUST field a phone call in a restaurant please don't yell. It's modern technology people, and usually a normal volume is just fine. Everyone in the restaurant doen't need to know about your dentist appointment, future plans for the evening, or who you're romantically interested in. Cell phone etiquette needs more attention so that we can all enjoy our meals in peace.