Ring Ring

Scenario: A group of friends are hanging out. Everyone is talking, having a good time. Someone's cellphone rings. The owner answers the phone and leaves the room to go talk with a new friend.

I'm confused by this scenario. I admit I'm guilty of doing the very same thing, but the whole thing still confuses me. Essentially, by answering the phone, we're saying that the person on the other end of the line is very important. But when did someone's wireless voice become more important than the company of physical people? The act of picking up the phone in that situation demonstrates to those around us that the phone call is more important than the current conversation. Notice how I said "phone call" rather than "caller" - a notable distinction.

Of course the scenario above doesn't happen every time the phone rings. There are times when pick up and answer with a "Sorry, I can't talk right now." There are other times when we don't even bother picking up at all. But there are also many times when we do pick up.

What's even stranger is that everyone finds this completely acceptable. No one questions when someone leaves the room to take a phone call. Sometimes the phone call is even answered with everyone in the room present, everyone taking turns and participating in the phone call.

I think this is a result of just how integrated cellphones have become in our society. No one would've even considered answering landlines when there's company over. All phone calls used to go straight to the machine. But since cellphones have become extensions of ourselves, the person on the other end is as good as in the same room. There's less differentiation between physical presence and simple vocal presence with cellphones. And perhaps there's nothing wrong with that. Perhaps that's just a result of the societal changes.

Hmmmmmmmmmm... late night thoughts.