Smart phones, dumb people?

At the risk of ranting away and sounding like a Daily Mail opinion piece or a cranky Granddad or possibly a cranky Granddad who likes nothing better than reading and, crucially, agreeing with the opinion pieces in the Daily Mail, Go Bananas is going to put it right out there and declare its disapproval of smart phones. Woah woah simmer down, quiet in the back there! Yes this blogger is getting increasingly frustrated with talking to the tops of heads of people bent over their phones, who aren't really listening at all and who then pop up and either say, "hmm?" or, "sorry what was that?"

Smart phone, dumb person?

After lengthy scientific studies conducted in the laboratories of The University of Belgooly, 31% of questions or enquiries directed at a smart phone user were left completely unanswered. 23% were replied to after a time delay of 15 seconds, 18% required the question to be asked again and sometimes for a third time.

For devices supposedly invented to bring people together and increase dialogue, they really are killing off the art of conversation and the spontaneity of meeting new people. Who hasn't been in the pub or cafe with a group of friends only to have their conversations regularly punctuated with referral to smart phones, the latest app or facebook updates? Any natural break in a chat will immediately be seized upon as a chance to slyly check emails and texts. Next time you arrange to meet a friend in the pub, make sure to arrive a bit late and you can be guaranteed they will be face down engrossed with their phone when you arrive, if they are on time that is.

In the cinema as soon as the end credits start rolling the theatre will be bathed in the glow of phones and increasingly, smart phones, powering up or, more frequently, switched off silent mode as one could never manage 2 hours without it completely turned off. Not a second is to be lost in catching up with the world and seeing which South American winger Liverpool have been linked with by some bloke in a studio who has 24 hours to fill with sports news but who also ran out of creditable items 3 hours beforehand.

You may even be reading this in a public place on your smart phone and if so have a look up, someone may be trying to talk to you. Go Bananas urges you to put your smart phones away, catch the eye of the barman/waitress/person next to you and start a conversation. You never know who you might meet. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the prosecution rests its case.