As I was having tea with a friend this morning, I noticed three businessmen discussing something seemingly important around the table next to ours. This wasn’t particularly interesting or notable, yet there was one thing I seemed to notice about them. Each man had his fancy business cell phone on the little table next to his coffee. I suppose this peaked my attention because it’s not something to which I would normally call attention, yet there seems to be no clear reason for the action. Surely each man has a place he normally puts the cell phone (I would say the pocket, yet I know most businessmen prefer to keep their calling devices mere inches from the convenient, obvious, and logical place built in the pants for specific reason of storing such items, choosing instead to clip it on the belt). For some reason, each felt it was necessary to place the phone on the table. From the sound of their conversation, it wasn’t entirely professional and no sound came from the phones, so it was unlikely they were actually making calls. It just seemed very odd to me that they would do this, yet even stranger to think that I had seen this many times before and did not think it strange.
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I do this all the time Jeff. When sitting down, my pants are tighter and if, thats a big IF, my phone were to ring, it would be very hard to reach into my tight pants to silence it. It’s just easier to have it on the table, and quite frankly, more comfortable. When sitting, I normally take everything including keys, wallet and phone out of my pocket and place it on the table. It’s just more comfy.
Yeah, I’m with Damon here. Most business guys are using their cellphones a lot, or with blackberries want to check their email a lot, and it’s a lot easier to pick it up off the table instead of having to try to half stand up and get your phone and spill your drink.
At work I take out everything in my pockets, and at most places when I eat, my cell phone is on the table since it’s a lot more comfortable that way.
Plus everyone knows that things strapped to your belt is only for IT workers.
I still think it seems like some sort of strange rite of passage in the business world. I don’t really see normal guys doing this.
Wait till you get out of school and start working. Perhaps it is a rite of passage?
See, the thing that got me was that one of the phones was a really thin Motorola. I’m certain the man’s wallet was several times bulkier, yet he kept that inside his pocket. It just seemed strange that the cell phone deserved such treatment.
you are one nit-picky dude.
then again. must be a slow news day.
Judging by your blog, it’s a slow news year. Oooh, burn!
hmm. kinda like the slow year your parents undoubtably had when they concieved YOU?
Jeff,
Today, waiters offer pepper from what appears to be a piano leg. They and their clients engage in this little ritual of “Would you like fresh ground pepper?” without understanding its origin or why pepper has such prominence at the dining table. I suspect that Messrs. Grant and Byers pull out their cell phone for similar reasons – they’ve simply accepted without question the strange rituals of the business world in which they find themselves dining.
The origin of this particular ritual of “cell phone on the table, close to your dining companions” actually came from a confluence of insights. A few middle aged, forty-something friends were dining together. Bill (we’ll call him) casually commented about how his entire life was in his cell phone – his appointments, his business contacts, even his family and friends. “If someone stole my cell phone, I’d have to get a new life!” he quipped. Sometime between the entree and dessert, someone else confessed that he was ready for an abrupt and sudden change in his life – a change of majors, so to speak, mid way through his career. “Ha! You can just switch phones with Bill,” said one of the pals. Suddenly, a hush descended over the table. It dawned on them all at once that this could, indeed, be the route to a new life. Without a word, each of the four put his cell phone out into the middle of the table and then, without looking, grabbed a new phone. Just like that, they’d exchanged lives, suddenly faced with an invigorating challenge where once had laid the tedium of predictable routine.
Since that legendary luncheon, men have put their phones out into the middle of the table as a show of solidarity to friends. No one has to confess to strong emotions, to feelings of being trapped, to the need for change. It is simply an unspoken agreement among middle aged men that you are willing to do this for a friend, to swap lives if necessary.
Oddly, this little ritual has been observed, replicated, and adopted by people who have no idea of the significance of the move – like so many other social customs.
And that, young Lee, is how the tradition started.
I do this when I get into the car also, I usually end up running over small children and puppies when I try to pull my ringing phone out of my pocket.
Then again, maybe no one ever calls you…so you wouldn’t understand.
Speaking for myself, I like to set my ubiquitous Moto Razr beside my coffee cup simply so everybody can see that I HAVE A CELLULAR PHONE. Also, its ‘piqued’. ‘Piqued my attention.’
Not to be nit-picky Ben, but I think we’ve moved away from the term “Cellular Phone”. It’s like AOL saying “Ding. You have a new electronic mail!”
Get WITH it! ha!!!
Yes, because no one uses the term cell phone anymore…
Or for that matter, email. Sure we’ve shortened it, but it’s not like we use the term mail and phone without any specification.
great point eric. that never occured to me.
I love how this has transformed into a forum of deep, philosophical discourse.
Well, sure. It’s a forum for deep philosophical discourse but, as Byers points out, a philosophical discourse that’s now shortened and without specification.
Philosophical discourse shortened to… philodisco? That sounds more like someone who really loves 70′s era dancing.
Philodisco .. or, rather, that’s someone who loves “brotherly dancing,” if my skills of interpretation haven’t completely eroded. I think that is what they do in clubs a couple hours west of you.
I love lamp.
(I just wanted to get this blog up to 20 comments. congrats on the very thought provoking blog Jeff!)
Actually, philodisco would mean “a love of disco.” Or perhaps, if one were inclined to use Latin, ‘disco’ could be the word for ‘I learn.’ No matter, the word for brother you are thinking of is ‘adelphos,’ as in Philadelphia. ‘Philos’ is love, seen in philosophy (the love of wisdom), philanthropy (the love of humanity), pedophile (the love of children), etc.
somebody shoot the smart guy.
But he doesn’t harm anyone staying up late reading greek texts on friday nights by himself.
He harms my idealistic vision of alpha-male masculinity.
Knowledge is a very dangerous power. So are guns, but those are usually operated by less intellectual people.
“Harms” your vision of alpha male masculinity? Aren’t those things designed to take a beating. Isn’t that their purpose? “harms my masculinity,” is like saying that some guy got your pool wet. It just doesn’t happen. Sounds to me that someone might be spending enough time at this site that he’s beginning to get in touch with his inner Greek.
There’s nothing wrong with getting in touch with your inner Greek. Unless, well, you choose to get in touch with the many things our society considers uncouth.
At this point I’m inclined to treat this posting as a chat room – at least until we get Jeff up to 100 comments.
Lol, Ron! That;s such a gr8 idea!!!1!
Or, we could do a mash up – blending the virtual mob concept with blog comments. The blog mob. You could organize, say, 1,000 people to all descend on a single blog posting and begin swarm commenting. The idea would be to pass through blogs like locusts, the mob leaving in its wake a flock of flustered bloggers, trying desperately to make sense of the inexplicable rise and fall of their personal fame. One week you have 2 to 5 comments per posting. The next week, you have a posting with 1,200 comments.
can you please post something fresh? I don’t even remember what this post was about. and I don’t feel like reading it again to refresh my memory.
Perhaps something less controversial so we don’t end up having a huge string of comments?
May I suggest:
Late term abortion
Merits of Iraq war
Global Warming
Liberal v. Conservative political views
Pizza
Or the safety craze that prompts mere pedestrians to stroll by wearing bright yellow safety helmets. (I could have sworn I saw this phenomenon Saturday.)
har har har.
Ron, jealousy is an ugly thing…
There’s nothing wrong with being too safe. That’s why I like wearing enough safety devices to actually impede my being safe.
And Ron-
That idea is sort of like this:
http://www.improveverywhere.com/2004/10/24/best-gig-ever/
And don’t worry, I have a post I’ve been working on for the past few weeks. I just have to get this day of school out of the way first.
Make a band’s career – what a concept! That’s hilarious. “Enthusiastic mob for hire!” should be the classified ad – I mean, craigslist posting or whatever. Could be a whole new service industry.
Plus, Damon knows that I’m not jealous. He’s just jealous of the fact that I don’t get jealous.
I’m sensing way too much envy.
BLOG ALREADY! WHERE DOES THIS END?!
About that new post…
APRIL FOOLS!
Oh wait, I can’t do that anymore. I guess we’re just going to have to keep on posting.
No, I seriously don’t have the time before class to write the two posts I have in my head.
Damon,
Your desire for things to end shows, I think, an unwillingness to simply enjoy the process, the journey if you will. Slow down. Let the young man blog at his own pace.
Jeff,
you musician, perhaps you could post about Joshua Bell. Fascinating bit about him being ignored in the subway after selling $1,000 tickets at the symphony. Or perhaps you could let Damon guest blog. Damon’s right, Jeff. It’s time for you to move on.
Fine.
You’ve made a new post. Does that mean I can no longer comment on this posting? What is etiquette in these situations? I do feel like I have more to say. Please advise.
You’re always welcome to comment on any post, even if you think nobody will read it. I will, then I’ll respond. That’s how I do things.