Never have such legions said so little in front of so many. In a Publix check-out line, on a health club stationary bike, at a mall. I think we’d all agree that the world of cell phonies is too much with us.
But now, at long last, there’s good news on the cellphone front. Recent surveys tell us that cellphone users are becoming more mindful of their surroundings and, as a result, seemingly more courteous.
A survey in 2002 found that only 6 percent of Americans thought talking on the phone during a movie or a play was acceptable. Two years prior, that figure was 11 percent. Moreover, 28 percent of Americans thought it permissible to cell-talk in a restaurant.
But before you get giddy with the prospect that America will no longer celebrate the Year of the Boor, consider this: there are nearly 150 million cellphone subscribers in this country. That means that, trend toward courtesy notwithstanding, some 9 million Americans still find it acceptable to chat at the theater and more than 42 million think it’s OK to blab away in restaurants.
Bon Appetit.