(lygenztia # 212) Big brother says.."you all must look"

Like every other Canadian, I have a cell phone. (2 actually, but that's another blog) One thing that has always amused me is the "mass check" and "double check" of the cell phone. Read on....

A group of people are together, whether they are gathered socially, on a bus, in a meeting, whatever. One of their cell phones rings. What is funny is, everyone will check their phone to see if it was their phone that actually "rang". That's fair enough, but what's even funnier is...when the person who was being called actually answers, some people still continue to check their phone. (to see if theirs rang)

So, what is the thought process there? "Oh, that must be a mistake that other guy was called, pretty sure that call was for me." Like c'mon, you know if your phone was ringing (or vibrating) or not. Maybe it's a pavlovian evolution that we are now compelled to check out phone if one rings anywhere within ear shot?

Perhaps the cell phone companies have engaged in mass "classical conditioning" to keep us addicted? (and paying monster bills in comparison to Americans for the privilege)

Whatever they are doing,...it worked.

(an an aside, the exact same holds true for text messaging)