Essay on Mobile Phones
Usage of Mobile Phones in Public Places - Pro or Contra?
When the person is being too critical to the other – it always makes me think about his/her personal reasons for doing that. Once I was having my favorite strawberry milkshake in one fast-food restaurant. It was the lunch time, but there were still not many people around and a lot of tables which were unoccupied. I was sitting in the corner behind the column near the window, as I like to watch people passing by and thinking about my stuff. My mobile phone is always turned on vibration mode or “no sound and vibration” mode, as I consider that I should not impose music that I like as ring tone to be heard by other people. I prefer enjoy it when I am alone or in the company of like-minded people. So, I was drinking my shake and saw that my grandmother calls me. I answered the call and start to talk with her about my studies, leisure time and everything that grandmothers are interested in. I was not talking too loud and there were almost no people around, and I tried to speak so that even they were not able to hear what I am talking about. In about two minutes someone touched my shoulder and loudly, so that everyone in that section of the restaurant hear said that my chattering disturbs her from having dinner in calm atmosphere in the very aggressive and hysteric manner.
All attention was attracted to us. I calmly finished my talk with grandmother, but she was staying next to me and looking at me till I put the phone down. I was starting to be confused and even afraid about her further actions. Then, she started lecturing me about use of cell phones in public places and that I showed no respect to the environment I am in. I was shocked and politely asked to excuse my unacceptable behavior. Of course, it was predominantly an ironic excuse and the situation stopped frightening me and starting to be amusing. Then she suddenly calmed down and returned to her lunch. After some time, a group of girl of age around 14-15 settled in the middle of the hall and started to speak and laugh loudly. They were so loud, that in about five minutes I was already au courant that “Ms. Adams is an old witch and Harry pays no attention on girls and is busy all the time playing football”. I already finished my shake and it was already time for me to go to the swimming-pool, but I decided to follow the reaction of the lady, which showed so much dissatisfaction with my unethical behavior in the public place. But she showed no signs of discontent and just quickly and silently finished her lunch, answered the call saying that she will be in two minutes and left. But other people in the restaurant starting hushing on them, but girls didn’t care- they were having fun. I must say that girls were not making me uncomfortable, as fast-food restaurant is not the place where people are supposed to keep silence, but the reaction of that woman remains a mystery for me. I think that people have right to talk on cell phones where they want to, but they should keep to ethical standards of behavior and there are definite places where mobile phones are absolutely unacceptable – cinemas, theatres, restaurants, church, and some other, where mobile calls and talks may disturb other people’s attention and personal space. Public transportation is not the place for long empty private talks about the relationships, health and other things that people around do not want to hear, but they are supposed to, as they are taking the same but and can’t escape from it and why should they escape if they have the same rights for being delivered to the place of their destination on time.
I usually go to the cinema with my friends every week. We enjoy old and new movies, eat popcorn and do everything to feel ourselves relaxed and comfortable. Before screening starts, we always turn off our mobiles and in case when some urgent calls occur, we just leave to talk outside. But what can say to the person, whose mobile phone rings in the most interesting and breathe-taking moment of the movie with the annoying song and the owner of it just answers it? Hushing and saying that it is not polite and acceptable behavior doesn’t work, as it also distracts attention of other people from the movie. The only solution is the ban of mobile phones in the cinemas during the screening, and in case when the ban is violated- the person should be asked to leave. I suggest that it is fair, when people know that there should be no phone calls and they are aware of possible consequences of their inadequate behavior. It is the same situation with using mobile phones in the theatres, but there, the disrespect is shown not only to people who came to enjoy the play of the actors and brilliant stage-manager’s work, but also to those, who are acting on the stage. Of course, actors are professionals who will not be disturbs with such silly things and they will continue acting, but they must be respected along with their art.
There are places, such as church, where people should keep silence and mobile phones are absolutely unacceptable.
Last summer I was visiting a small village in France, in Burgundy, where young people from over the Europe and other places gather together to talk, to pray and spend time together. There are workgroups established to talk about world peace issues, and there are also prayers three times a day. The atmosphere there is amazingly friendly, calm and inspiring. In the church there use of cell phones is forbidden. There are people that go around the rows and ask to turn off cell phones before the service begins and what is the most interesting their requests are not aggressive. They are just asking friendly. And it is each person’s choice to choose the pattern of behavior and whether to show respect to the place s/he is in or neglecting it, as, of course, in case if the cell phone rings, the person will not be asked to leave the church, s/he will just be showing his real attitude and nature. I do not deny the cases when people simply forget to turn off sound of their phones, but such cases are not such a big deal when they are single and the person just quickly turns the phone off.
I am the furious opponent of the mobile phones usage in the public places, and I understand that we are all people that have jobs, children, friends and parents that we want to be in touch with. The thing that I am supporting is that everything is good when used moderately, and ethical unwritten standards of behavior were not abolished. And if we are people, we should respect primarily ourselves and then other people, as changing personal attitudes will change the attitudes of other people. And if one chooses to go to the church, to the restaurant for romantic dinner or business lunch, to the theatre, cinema or any other place where people supposed not to be loud- he better turn off his source of disturbance. And even better, correspondent authorities should prohibit phone usage and impose definite punishment for disobedience.
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