3 ms·

I was traveling on the metro in Korea late one night. There were maybe 20 people in the train car, and literally every single one was staring down at their smar

I was traveling on the metro in Korea late one night. There were maybe 20 people in the train car, and literally every single one was staring down at their smart phone. I had to laugh, there wasn't a single exception and not a word spoken, as new people got on, sat down, and pulled out their phone. This went on for 10 or 20 minutes, then finally someone made a noise. It was a women pointing to her screen to share something with a friend next to her. Then they both went back to their separate phones and the mobile train continued forward. This was the first time I noticed everyone on their phone, and I felt like I was in the twilight zone. There would be groups of three or four friends sitting in a line, not speaking a single word. Eerie.

ijk 13y ago
Given that metros and elevators are the kind of public private spaces where the social norm is to ignore the people around you as much as possible (at least, in most mass transit cultures I'm familiar with) this long predates the smart phone and the cell phone.
- kyllo 13y ago
  When I lived in Seoul in 2008-2010, people were not only using smartphones, they were watching television on their smartphones, in the subway. Smartphones in Korea have built-in TV tuners. And yes, the social norm is and has been to ignore the people around you as much as possible, even more so in East Asian cultures, and more so when it's very crowded. If everyone were talking and socializing, it would be very loud in the subway car.
haukilup 13y ago
In many populated cities, talking on the subway/train/etc is considered extremely rude. It changes from culture to culture, but I think it'd be weird if they didn't do something with their time since being talkative or social isn't an option. Instead of carrying around a book or sudoku puzzle everywhere for such situations, people just use their phone.

ijk 13y ago

Given that metros and elevators are the kind of public private spaces where the social norm is to ignore the people around you as much as possible (at least, in most mass transit cultures I'm familiar with) this long predates the smart phone and the cell phone.

kyllo 13y ago
When I lived in Seoul in 2008-2010, people were not only using smartphones, they were watching television on their smartphones, in the subway. Smartphones in Korea have built-in TV tuners. And yes, the social norm is and has been to ignore the people around you as much as possible, even more so in East Asian cultures, and more so when it's very crowded. If everyone were talking and socializing, it would be very loud in the subway car.

haukilup 13y ago

In many populated cities, talking on the subway/train/etc is considered extremely rude. It changes from culture to culture, but I think it'd be weird if they didn't do something with their time since being talkative or social isn't an option. Instead of carrying around a book or sudoku puzzle everywhere for such situations, people just use their phone.