The Etiquette Edge

CHAPTER 9

Convenience or Curse?

Is It Time for a Cell Phone Reality Check?

Some time ago, at a breakfast meeting I had with a client at a trendy coffee house, I suddenly realized that my guest and I were practically shouting at each other because diners on both our left and right were engaged in cell phone conversations that got increasingly louder. The two people carrying on their “private” conversations seemed oblivious to the possibility that their own communication might be interfering with that of others.

And, while attending a conference in Europe later that same year, I saw that surprisingly few attendees seemed to be actually conversing with other people at the conference. At every break in the proceedings, scores of people whipped cell ...