joseph8 said:

retina said:

Yeah, it's not a good thing that it's become so common that people let their guard down and stop questioning it. I mean, often it's not malevolent in any way, but I still think it's scary if it becomes second nature both to invade people's privacy at inopportune times, and for people to allow their privacy to be invaded. We'll feel like we've lost some of our peace of mind. And all of a sudden a very undesirable video will turn up online.

Not a matter of "allowing".

You're outside. Someone breaks out the camera and starts video tapping you.

You say "STOP!" They don't and continue.

Now what? You get an assault charge for hitting them or what?

I mean what recourse do you have if the person continues taking video even after you've asked them not to?

Call a cop? They'll be gone by the time you get one.

It's a brave new world!

By "allow" I meant that people don't even react anymore when they're being filmed because they're so used to it. They just keep on with what they were doing without as much as a question or a complaint, and that makes it even easier for the person with the camera to continue filming.

But yes, it is a brave new world and it is indeed very hard to protect yourself from having your privacy invaded. So people's complacence described above is - if regrettable - also understandable. It's just too bad that it's gotten to this point and it will probably only get worse.

Well, some times it's hard to tell what they're doing with those damn phones. I know my picture has been taken on the sly a lot, and I've caught people doing it, too. It pisses me off. What gives you the right to photograph me without my permission? But like another Orger said, what are you gonna do? You can ask that they stop, but someone intent on getting a picture is going to do it regardless of how loudly you protest.

What amazes me is when I'm standing in a line, nine times out of ten, 95% of the people on line are doing something with a cell phone, whether it's talking, texting or playing games. Everybody's head is bowed looking at the damn phone!

[Edited 10/12/10 8:06am]

Shyra said:

Well, some times it's hard to tell what they're doing with those damn phones. I know my picture has been taken on the sly a lot, and I've caught people doing it, too. It pisses me off. What gives you the right to photograph me without my permission? But like another Orger said, what are you gonna do? You can ask that they stop, but someone intent on getting a picture is going to do it regardless of how loudly you protest.

What amazes me is when I'm standing in a line, nine times out of ten, 95% of the people on line are doing something with a cell phone, whether it's talking, texting or playing games. Everybody's head is bowed looking at the damn phone!

[Edited 10/12/10 8:06am]

Yeah, it's the need for constant stimulation in today's society. People can never do just one thing, especially if that one thing is something like standing in line. They need to be preoccupied, productive, entertained, connected! Not even tv is good enough for people these days. They watch with one eye but keep the other eye on their computer screen or their cell phone, and might have music on in the background all at the same time. If we don't all take a chill pill soon we're going to burn ourselves out.

retina said:

Shyra said:

Well, some times it's hard to tell what they're doing with those damn phones. I know my picture has been taken on the sly a lot, and I've caught people doing it, too. It pisses me off. What gives you the right to photograph me without my permission? But like another Orger said, what are you gonna do? You can ask that they stop, but someone intent on getting a picture is going to do it regardless of how loudly you protest.

What amazes me is when I'm standing in a line, nine times out of ten, 95% of the people on line are doing something with a cell phone, whether it's talking, texting or playing games. Everybody's head is bowed looking at the damn phone!

[Edited 10/12/10 8:06am]

Yeah, it's the need for constant stimulation in today's society. People can never do just one thing, especially if that one thing is something like standing in line. They need to be preoccupied, productive, entertained, connected! Not even tv is good enough for people these days. They watch with one eye but keep the other eye on their computer screen or their cell phone, and might have music on in the background all at the same time. If we don't all take a chill pill soon we're going to burn ourselves out.

Well, I'm an old-school old broad, and I refuse to become a slave to fuggin gadgets! I have a plain, pay-as-you-go cell phone; I don't know how to text, twitter, blog, post pictures, download music, facebook, non of that shit, and I'm doing just fine thankyouverymuch!

retina said:

Shyra said:

Well, some times it's hard to tell what they're doing with those damn phones. I know my picture has been taken on the sly a lot, and I've caught people doing it, too. It pisses me off. What gives you the right to photograph me without my permission? But like another Orger said, what are you gonna do? You can ask that they stop, but someone intent on getting a picture is going to do it regardless of how loudly you protest.

What amazes me is when I'm standing in a line, nine times out of ten, 95% of the people on line are doing something with a cell phone, whether it's talking, texting or playing games. Everybody's head is bowed looking at the damn phone!

[Edited 10/12/10 8:06am]

Yeah, it's the need for constant stimulation in today's society. People can never do just one thing, especially if that one thing is something like standing in line. They need to be preoccupied, productive, entertained, connected! Not even tv is good enough for people these days. They watch with one eye but keep the other eye on their computer screen or their cell phone, and might have music on in the background all at the same time. If we don't all take a chill pill soon we're going to burn ourselves out.

I know. This is so me.

Like I've noticed, cuz I think I could possible have ADD or something ish. And so it's hard enough for me to concentrate on a movie or show the way it is......but now with all these added distractions rite at my fingertips.....IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT! At the same time it's wonderful cuz like really who wants to be bored driving, or standing in line and stuff?

TotalANXiousNESS said:

retina said:

Yeah, it's the need for constant stimulation in today's society. People can never do just one thing, especially if that one thing is something like standing in line. They need to be preoccupied, productive, entertained, connected! Not even tv is good enough for people these days. They watch with one eye but keep the other eye on their computer screen or their cell phone, and might have music on in the background all at the same time. If we don't all take a chill pill soon we're going to burn ourselves out.

I know. This is so me.

Like I've noticed, cuz I think I could possible have ADD or something ish. And so it's hard enough for me to concentrate on a movie or show the way it is......but now with all these added distractions rite at my fingertips.....IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT! At the same time it's wonderful cuz like really who wants to be bored driving, or standing in line and stuff?

Well what I like about it is that it gives me a chance to think, to reminisce, to pay attention to the little things around me, to perhaps communicate with someone standing next to me. You know, the stuff we used to do and enjoy before we had all our million devices.

I'm not saying electronic entertainment at our fingertips is all bad. A fifteen hour flight for example used to be excruciating, whereas now with the in-flight entertainment systems it goes by pretty quickly. I just think we're overdoing it, me included.

One nightly ritual I have is to eat fruit while watching the The Daily Show. Then when The Colbert Report comes on I've usually run out of fruit so then I play some reversi solitaire while listening to the show. I do this partly because I enjoy it, but also partly because I've been caught up in the modern day multitasking frenzy. And in the end it doesn't wind me down, it stresses me out.

Many people and their addiction of many uses with their cell phones CREEP me out

This man was going to attack my bus driver and I pulled out my phone to take a picture for evidence....

yeah it is creepy but it can also help people think better before they act. Like Peacelovealways said...

TotalANXiousNESS said:

retina said:

Yeah, it's the need for constant stimulation in today's society. People can never do just one thing, especially if that one thing is something like standing in line. They need to be preoccupied, productive, entertained, connected! Not even tv is good enough for people these days. They watch with one eye but keep the other eye on their computer screen or their cell phone, and might have music on in the background all at the same time. If we don't all take a chill pill soon we're going to burn ourselves out.

I know. This is so me.

Like I've noticed, cuz I think I could possible have ADD or something ish. And so it's hard enough for me to concentrate on a movie or show the way it is......but now with all these added distractions rite at my fingertips.....IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT! At the same time it's wonderful cuz like really who wants to be bored driving, or standing in line and stuff?

Child, be glad you weren't born in the 50's or 60's where you actually had to stand in line with NOTHING to do but stare at the back of the person's head in front of you. The best you could hope for as far as distraction was conversation or a book/magazine.