Anyone else annoyed by this trend?

[Shugardrawers]

I've never really seen a problem with it when someone was, say, riding the subway or other activity usually done alone. Where I find it rude is when a person is out with family or friends. A person can't speak to you without feeling as if they are bothering you. It puts up a glass wall around you that to me says you don't think talking with the people you are with is worth your time. Even when alone you really should be aware of what's happening around you. To each his own but I really don't think in my case it's a generational thing. I think it's a silent statement.

 

[Charade]

I was a teen in the 80's and I had my Sony Walkman as did just about every other teen in the world. I listened to it all the time. This isn't a "trend" at all, just newer electronics.
How quickly we forget what it was like to be a teen!

I don't think we've forgotten (teen in the early 70's) but it should be clearly obvious that in many places teens (especially teens) use a lot of wired (and wireless) gadgets. I think it does harm their social skills when interacting with people they know (or don't know).

I really hate the fact that some people can't seem to skip a phone call while placing an order at a restaurant or conducting business at the bank or anywhere else like that. I know we've had this discussion here many times but it still bothers me. I don't do it and I don't appreciate it when it's done to me. I've witnessed a few people talking on their phone and putting up their "wait a minute" finger when the cashier or fast food worker ask "may I help you?" Rude rude rude!!!!

 

[bicker]

Rude people will always find ways to be rude. I see no reason to believe that having more ways to be rude actually increases rudeness -- it just makes the rudeness more varied and diverse.

 

[Magickndm]

I don't think we've forgotten (teen in the early 70's) but it should be clearly obvious that in many places teens (especially teens) use a lot of wired (and wireless) gadgets. I think it does harm their social skills when interacting with people they know (or don't know).

It's still just the age old problem called the generation gap. Your parent's parents more than likely hated Elvis. Said rock and roll was going to ruin all the kids. Somehow your parents made it through ok. How do you think this world will be run in the near future? Wireless I'm betting. It's a different time and the kids have different ways of communicating. Doesn't mean it's harmful.
As for being rude, well, as another poster said, rude people are everywhere. In fact, the biggest majority of people I've come across who have been rude weren't sporting an iPod.

 

[va32h]

I don't have an ipod, but when I was in college, I wore my Sony Walkman everywhere....until I was mugged on my college campus one evening as I walked home from the library.

With my headphones on, I didn't hear they guy coming up behind me, and ended up bruised, terrified, and robbed of all my cash and credit card.

After that, I only wore the headphones while riding on the bus.

 

[Charade]

Rude people will always find ways to be rude. I see no reason to believe that having more ways to be rude actually increases rudeness -- it just makes the rudeness more varied and diverse.

Huh? Having more ways to be rude doesn't increase the level of rudeness? How so?

 

[bicker]

Rudeness isn't brought about by things; it is a manifestation of behavior by people. The people are rude; not the things. The things don't make the people rude; the people are rude all on their own. Without the things, the people would still be rude.