The other day I was at an after work business event and I pulled out my phone to check my mail. Nobody was talking to me anyways (I was being a miserable bastard) so I thought it was a good time to check and see if anyone was sending me anything interesting or doing something worthwhile on Facebook.

As I started syncing, some old hag (more miserable than me at that moment if you can believe it) standing across from me started whining on about how everybody’s addicted to their phones these days and we’re losing touch with real human interaction in the name of interacting virtually.

I take exception to this sort of attitude (and to the old ladies smelly clothes too) in a big way! These conservatives who go on about how we’re all becoming addicted to our mobile phones must eat nuts. There is a “but” here though…

If you’re somewhere with someone else and you’re actively socialising with them, then pulling out your phone and starting to text or BBM or status update is just plain rude. People have done the same thing to you; think about how it felt and then stop doing it to other people.

However, if you’re in a social situation (at a party, waiting in a line, shopping, eating in a restaurant in a group) and nobody is interacting with you, I don’t see the big deal in picking up a communication device and sending a text. It’s just an extension of you being social, isn’t it? This is what technology has enabled us to do these days: interact with everyone, all the time, everywhere!

If you’re constantly on your phone ‘cos your mining gold in Farmville or virtually assassinating someone in the Mafia Wars, then you’re a douche and I agree with the old people who say you’re addicted to your phone. There is no excuse for this sort of anti-social behaviour, you addict!

But if people stare constantly at the top of your head ‘cos they’re not saying anything to you anyway and you’re busy texting a mate or setting up a late night booty call, then I’m with you. I don’t believe it’s possible to become addicted to human interaction and that’s all BBM, social status updates (interesting ones, not ones that include the words “I am”, “currently”, “right now” or “holla”) and texting is…socialising!