![\"7055456117_ab73865e66_k\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/411\/2018\/09\/7055456117_ab73865e66_k-300x200.jpg\")
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You know, I never see Facebook campaigns about basic civility. \u00a0I know, I know, I sound like a grouchy old man, but I hate seeing “repost this if you hate cancer”, because everybody hates cancer: you’re just extorting attention.<\/p>\n
How about Facebook campaigns about basic manners? \u00a0Because, really, that’s something we could actually do something about. \u00a0So I’m going to do my part and remind people that texting in a movie theater\u00a0makes you an awful person<\/em>. \u00a0Not Hitler awful, but it’s essentially announcing to the entire world that you’re a self-involved jerk who doesn’t care about the people around you.<\/p>\n First, there is nothing in that text you need to read or reply to. \u00a0I know this, because if you were waiting for important news, or had something major awaiting you, you probably would not have shelled out ten bucks to sit in a dark room with strangers to watch Adam Sandler get kicked in the nuts or Kate Hudson discover romance. \u00a0If you were waiting for something important, or received some shocking news, you’d probably step out of the theater and check your phone, so you weren’t distracted by explosions and catchphrases.<\/p>\n Secondly, you are not that important. \u00a0Pulling out your cell phone in a movie is, on some level, an attempt to get attention. \u00a0Look at me! \u00a0I’m important! \u00a0People are talking to me!<\/p>\n No you’re not! \u00a0We all know you’re not! \u00a0You’re just being annoying in public because we, as a society, have accepted beating people for being rude causes more problems than it solves! \u00a0But it’s tempting!<\/p>\n Thirdly, don’t even waste your time trying to argue that nobody can see your screen. \u00a0Everybody can see your screen. \u00a0Phone screens are designed to be read in the dark, so they’re extremely bright, you probably have it turned all the way up, and you probably are using a white screen to text for contrast. \u00a0If you’re in a theater with stadium seating, it’s like somebody jabbing you in the eye. \u00a0There’s one theater in my area, the next time I’m forced to go, I’m sitting in the very back with a slingshot and picking off the screens as they light up one by one.<\/p>\n I’m not arguing we shouldn’t text at all. \u00a0Texting is useful. \u00a0In most situations, texting is OK. \u00a0Even texting at a funeral is OK, if you didn’t really know the person and are just crashing it for the food. \u00a0But texting in a movie is never OK. \u00a0Never.<\/p>\n Now repost this on Facebook, and let’s see if we can’t get the point through a few skulls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You know, I never see Facebook campaigns about basic civility. \u00a0I know, I know, I sound like a grouchy old man, but I hate seeing “repost this if you hate cancer”, because everybody hates cancer: you’re just extorting attention. How about Facebook campaigns about basic manners? \u00a0Because, really, that’s something we could actually do something…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":620,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n