Cellphones in Movies
Like many people my age I’ve been getting really irritated by
the people who insist on using their
The number of people who talk on the phone is fortunately
fairly small, but there are enough who insist on using SMS messaging
that at any point during any movie, there will be three or four
glowing cellphone screens visible and the occasional buzzing or
beeping of incoming messages.
Until recently I’ve been hoping for some form of technology to
block cellphones in the theatre. Some sort of jamming device
or perhaps just strict enforcement - kick out the people who insist
on interrupting everyone else - if they’re not interested enough
in the movie that they’re having conversations with friends
during them maybe they shouldn’t be there anyway.
However I’ve been thinking more about this and I realise I’m
experiencing purely a
these days are always connected. Continual communication with
their friends is just what they’ve grown up with. Along with
terrible music that the previous generation just doesn’t get,
ugly clothes, illiteracy and lack of awareness of important
issues.
Looking into the future, this theme of always being connected, always
being in communication with friends is the way things are going.
Morally, I don’t see this as being good or bad. It’s just different
from the way I was brought up. Indeed, I suspect it’s probably a good
direction for humanity to take.
So now what I want is not for the communication to be stopped.
I don’t want to ban kids from messaging during movies. I don’t want to
stop them being in touch.
What I want is for them to not disturb me while I am trying
to watch a movie.
So stop the
Instead, work on a messaging device that can be used without disturbing
anyone else. Get rid of the glowing displays and the peering at backlit
keyboards. Invent something with a touch interface. Perhaps a braille
output with a modified keypad that can be used without looking.
Get that into common usage and the problem is solved.
I can enjoy watching movies again, and humanity can continue down the
path of heavier communication.
- Colin