[brentoli]

There has been much buzz over the past few weeks about civility or lack thereof. Between the behavior of Sen. Joe Wilson, Kanye West and Serena Williams, many of us are wondering about the state of our society. Closer to home, let's dig a little deeper: Is civility slowly being abandoned in the workplace?

In my corporate consulting I have the opportunity to hear from executives about workplace pet peeves and unprofessional behavior. Without a doubt the Number One professional faux pas is Blackberry and iPhone addiction

Put the Blackberry down and pay attention | Cincinnati.com | The Cincinnati Enquirer

Is it seriously getting to be time for a BBA (BlackBerry Anonomyous) group?

[raverx3m]

lol funny thing i have 5 people at work that own iphones.
they do not let them go for more than 5 seconds.
and every time i ask them they say oh i hate i phone .
they had them for some time now.

[BewitchedWitch21]

I just think there is a fine line between being addicted and being obnoxious. I love my Tour and use it non-stop, but for example, I was shopping with my mother. I was spending time with her so I checked maybe 3 times the entire day and left the ringer on silent.

[Reparkable]

We are now in a society where people need INSTANT access to everything in their life. And portable devices give that access to the point where its overly intrusive in our lives.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Snarfler]

So you're saying wilson, west, and williams are rude and spoiled because they use blackberries? They have behaved poorly, but I didn't know it was caused by their phones,

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lordcliff]

I am paying attention....to whatever I'm doing on my blackberry. Obviously it's more important. What's the problem here?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[digital_cataclysm]

I'll admit we seem to have a whole generation and a half in this country that are self-obcessed, whiny, and infatuated with technology and "bling" more than they are with trying to practice civility, social leadership or taking personal responsability.

But I don't blame the BlackBerry or other devices for this - Oh, no. I blame the people who thought swatting your kid a good one when they did something wrong was equal to "child-abuse", and think it's ok to put a parent or school teacher in jail just so rotten little johnny over there won't have his civil rights violated.
I blame a society where 99% of what's on tv is nothing but garbage, where our kids heros are trash-talking rap musicians or teenege worebags who shake their junk on stage and swim in a sewer of their own egos.
I blame the breakdown of the family unit, of what we teach our children nowdays - the examples they have to go by... What I see in other peoples behavior towards each other, and themselves... What is sacrificed in trying to obtain that which is assumed important above all else - yeah, THAT I blame.

Like another poster mentioned, if you're that ignorant enough to be annoying to people around you in the grocery store or the movie theatre, maybe even your family, or enough to put your JOB at risk simply because you refuse to get off the damn BlackBerry or iPhone - you deserve whatever repercussions may fall your way.

Just don't blame the phone for it. Blame your poor judgement.
Oh, and society too for making you into the person you are.
Parents who never loved you, that sort of thing.
Blame Dad cause he hit you on the **** that one time when you were 5.

[lordcliff]

I agree 100% with ^

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jeebuss1]

I'll admit we seem to have a whole generation and a half in this country that are self-obcessed, whiny, and infatuated with technology and "bling" more than they are with trying to practice civility, social leadership or taking personal responsability.

But I don't blame the BlackBerry or other devices for this - Oh, no. I blame the people who thought swatting your kid a good one when they did something wrong was equal to "child-abuse", and think it's ok to put a parent or school teacher in jail just so rotten little johnny over there won't have his civil rights violated.
I blame a society where 99% of what's on tv is nothing but garbage, where our kids heros are trash-talking rap musicians or teenege worebags who shake their junk on stage and swim in a sewer of their own egos.
I blame the breakdown of the family unit, of what we teach our children nowdays - the examples they have to go by... What I see in other peoples behavior towards each other, and themselves... What is sacrificed in trying to obtain that which is assumed important above all else - yeah, THAT I blame.

Like another poster mentioned, if you're that ignorant enough to be annoying to people around you in the grocery store or the movie theatre, maybe even your family, or enough to put your JOB at risk simply because you refuse to get off the damn BlackBerry or iPhone - you deserve whatever repercussions may fall your way.

Just don't blame the phone for it. Blame your poor judgement.
Oh, and society too for making you into the person you are.
Parents who never loved you, that sort of thing.
Blame Dad cause he hit you on the **** that one time when you were 5.

I could not agree more...........Well said.

[hootyhoo]

Digital. Nice. That is it in a nut shell.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[skwij]

Bravo Digital_Cataclysm. Awesome post!

[A�aric]

We are now in a society where people need INSTANT access to everything in their life. And portable devices give that access to the point where its overly intrusive in our lives.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Not quite. We are now in a society where people "THINK" they need INSTANT access to information...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[redhdgirl417]

I'll admit we seem to have a whole generation and a half in this country that are self-obcessed, whiny, and infatuated with technology and "bling" more than they are with trying to practice civility, social leadership or taking personal responsability.

But I don't blame the BlackBerry or other devices for this - Oh, no. I blame the people who thought swatting your kid a good one when they did something wrong was equal to "child-abuse", and think it's ok to put a parent or school teacher in jail just so rotten little johnny over there won't have his civil rights violated.
I blame a society where 99% of what's on tv is nothing but garbage, where our kids heros are trash-talking rap musicians or teenege worebags who shake their junk on stage and swim in a sewer of their own egos.
I blame the breakdown of the family unit, of what we teach our children nowdays - the examples they have to go by... What I see in other peoples behavior towards each other, and themselves... What is sacrificed in trying to obtain that which is assumed important above all else - yeah, THAT I blame.

Like another poster mentioned, if you're that ignorant enough to be annoying to people around you in the grocery store or the movie theatre, maybe even your family, or enough to put your JOB at risk simply because you refuse to get off the damn BlackBerry or iPhone - you deserve whatever repercussions may fall your way.

Just don't blame the phone for it. Blame your poor judgement.
Oh, and society too for making you into the person you are.
Parents who never loved you, that sort of thing.
Blame Dad cause he hit you on the **** that one time when you were 5.

HERE HERE!

[hootyhoo]

A society where every one is soooo special. We can't keep score because that will hurt feelings. We can't give real grades because that will hurt feelings. We can't say no because that will hurt feelings. Makes me want to barf.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[OptiPrime]

exactly...those are just examples of people being obnoxious.

i leave my phone on vibrate in casual situations (out w/ friends & family). i check it if it vibrates but dont respond unless its important. if im having a serious conversation i probably wont even check it.

in a job interview is just ridiculous. your phone should be off or on silent...common sense.

[IowaGuyBB]

Anyone who cannot go an entire day without having their blackberry or Iphone on them to check should get help. It trully speaks to a person's weak character when they can't even beat an addiction to a phone.




IowaGuyBB

[clitrenta]

exactly...those are just examples of people being obnoxious a-holes.

i leave my phone on vibrate in casual situations (out w/ friends & family). i check it if it vibrates but dont respond unless its important. if im having a serious conversation i probably wont even check it.

in a job interview is just ridiculous. your phone should be off or on silent...common sense.

Amen. I don't even take mine in on an interview. Even if it's just vibrating, it's enough to distract me and what message does it send to your prospective boss? Yah, Common Sense people.

[brentoli]

Wow.. I stimulated some actual conversation, and its intelligent. I am proud, there is hope for crackberrians yet!

[MizzDimpl3z]

I've been wanting to answer since yesterday.. but my BB kept going off and I just couldn't put it down long enough to write this post... LMAO... Nice post Brent ... gotta go someone just BBMed me...

[VashTheStampede]

I'm sorry, what? I was on my blackberry.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jr3153]

I'll admit we seem to have a whole generation and a half in this country that are self-obcessed, whiny, and infatuated with technology and "bling" more than they are with trying to practice civility, social leadership or taking personal responsability.

But I don't blame the BlackBerry or other devices for this - Oh, no. I blame the people who thought swatting your kid a good one when they did something wrong was equal to "child-abuse", and think it's ok to put a parent or school teacher in jail just so rotten little johnny over there won't have his civil rights violated.
I blame a society where 99% of what's on tv is nothing but garbage, where our kids heros are trash-talking rap musicians or teenege worebags who shake their junk on stage and swim in a sewer of their own egos.
I blame the breakdown of the family unit, of what we teach our children nowdays - the examples they have to go by... What I see in other peoples behavior towards each other, and themselves... What is sacrificed in trying to obtain that which is assumed important above all else - yeah, THAT I blame.

Like another poster mentioned, if you're that ignorant enough to be annoying to people around you in the grocery store or the movie theatre, maybe even your family, or enough to put your JOB at risk simply because you refuse to get off the damn BlackBerry or iPhone - you deserve whatever repercussions may fall your way.

Just don't blame the phone for it. Blame your poor judgement.
Oh, and society too for making you into the person you are.
Parents who never loved you, that sort of thing.
Blame Dad cause he hit you on the **** that one time when you were 5.

Cant Say it better than that!

[juliankueh]

No.....

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Write on Time]

I have been saying what Digital_Cataclysm said in that post for years, now. If you didn't want to be a parent, then don't have the kids! If you do, then be a parent, and make an effort in your kids' lives.

The digital age has added to the behavior issues, but is not to blame for them.

[ILikeMilch]

My phone is always on vibrate and if it goes off when I am talking to someone I wont pick it up unless it is a phone call, I always wait for the third vibration.

I think spending the majority of time speaking to people through a screen and not face to face takes a lot of common decency and manners since there is little to no consequence for their actions, a good example being 'internet thugs'.

[brentoli]

Ok, we got a little iPhone hate in the news too.

iPhone application overload - WTHR |

Fifty million iPhone users worldwide have access to 85,000 apps, which can be downloaded to their mobile device. From Soduko to other games to Google Earth to Discovery, there is seemingly no end.

One therapist who has just started an internet addiction help clinic says you could be in trouble if you spend more than two hours a day with your iPhone or any electronics outside work or school.