My favorite trick that my sister and I started when our cousin wouldn't stop texting, fb-ing, and that annoying "uuuuhuhhh. Yeah. *staring at screen*"

When we're out at meals all phones go in the middle of the table and the first person who touches theirs picks up tbe bill.

I agree with you all but I've also noticed that people who do this seem to have tons of friends, both on FB and in real life. Most of the 30-40 somethings who are glued to their phone have a large social circle, tons of social plans, and lots of friends.

On the other hand, I'm in my mid 30s, only check my phone maybe 4 times per day (and it stays put away and turned off the rest of the time), post to FB maybe once a month, and I have very few friends, both on FB and in real life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's clearly insecure, try to help instead of criticizing.

I dunno. I don't think phone/internet addiction stems from insecurity.

Happens that the women I know who do this tend to be the insecure ones.

Anonymous wrote:I think there's more than one type of person who does this, but they do all seem to share a self-centeredness that makes them care so much about the shallow validation of Facebook likes while not caring at all about how rude they're being to the people around them.

I agree with that. It takes a special kind of self-centeredness to not feel uncomfortable about not looking the person with whom you are conversing in the face.

I think there's more than one type of person who does this, but they do all seem to share a self-centeredness that makes them care so much about the shallow validation of Facebook likes while not caring at all about how rude they're being to the people around them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's clearly insecure, try to help instead of criticizing.

I dunno. I don't think phone/internet addiction stems from insecurity.

What does it stem from, then?

I work with a 35 year old woman who does this (and yes, people notice and complain about it behind her back). She is not at all insecure. She is the person who constantly talks about herself, never asks questions about others, and speaks in an infantile, little-girl voice when she is addressing the two elderly people at work (so condescending, and they notice it). She is insufferable.

People who use their phone constantly while talking to others are clueless and selfish, not insecure.

I have a friend like this, also almost 40. She is always clutching her phone and checking Facebook for likes, or has it face up next to her plate during meals, and waits for any signal that there might be some sort of message or "like" coming her way. It's annoying, impolite, and pathetic,