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Pre-reading Discussion 1) Do you feel a conflict between privacy rights and media rights? 2) Discuss an example where these two rights collide. Friends have asked me three times in the past few months if I would accept the gift of a mobile telephone, the so-called "cell phone," or what the Chinese call a "ta ke ta." They ask this question out of the goodness of their hearts, thinking they are doing me a favor. My answer is a warm smile, but a very definite, "Thanks, but no thanks." I wonder why in the world a person would want to carry a telephone through every minute of the day and night. I am flummoxed by the question. When my home or office phone rings, nine times out of ten, it brings a voice asking me to listen to someone's troubles, do more work, come to a meeting, or hurry up with a manuscript that is already six days late. A ringing telephone rarely brings me good news. To be happier in life, I am quite convinced what I need are fewer phone calls, not more! Me want a "ta ke ta"? Ha, ha, ha. Despite my stodgy feelings about them, however, I can see that cell phones are already now ubiquitous, and are here to stay. People use them on crowded buses, take them into public toilets, place them like gilded candlesticks on dinner tables. Students tote the phones to class, or stroll around with them in hand while chatting with similarly well-connected friends. To better understand the phenomenon, I conducted an anecdotal survey about cell phones these recent weeks among students at my university. Sincere thanks, by the way, to the many colleagues and students who made today's column possible, and especially to Yang I-an, my faithful assistant. The survey attracted 325 anonymous participants from seven departments or graduate institutes. About two-thirds of the respondents are in the Sociology or English Departments, fairly evenly divided between freshmen and seniors. The remaining one-third are a smattering of sophomores, juniors, and graduate students. Among all the survey-takers, 54 percent say they own or often use a cell phone. A whopping 75 percent of the users are females. When asked how long they've been cell-phoning, 33 percent of the users said "about one year." Strikingly, 47 percent only began the phone use in the past six months. About 48 percent of the users receive one to three calls on an average day, with 46 percent putting the figure at four to seven. How often are students dialing out? The survey says 74 percent of the user group makes one to three calls a day, and 25 percent, four to seven. The reason I conducted the study was not only to track the extent of cell phone use in student life, but more importantly, to try to determine if our young friends connect the use of cell phones to good manners or politeness. ¹ Thus, I asked the user group to imagine themselves conversing with friends about a sensitive topic, and then hearing the buzz of an incoming call. "What would you most likely do?" To this query, 33 percent said they'd say, "Excuse me," and accept the call immediately without moving away from their friends. Slightly fewer, 32 percent, said they would excuse themselves, step away, and take the call out of the earshot of others. When asked if they felt the use of the phone might violate other people's privacy or convenience, 68 percent admitted "it could happen occasionally." That seemed a hopeful sign to me, but my optimism plunged when I noticed that 23 percent of the user group feels the phones "never" infringe upon the comfort of others. ² In a similar question, I asked, "In your opinion, does your use of a mobile phone ever relate to politeness?" Of the users, 67 percent replied, "Yes, sometimes," with a strong 21 percent answering, "No, never." Curious if respondents might feel differently with the shoes on their own feet, so to speak, I asked the phone-users if they had ever felt "disturbed" by others' use of cell phones, and sure enough, 76 percent said, "Yes, it sometimes happens." ³ Space limits prevent a sharing of more analysis today, but I hope to return to the survey, including student comments, in the future. For now, let me ask a simple question- am I the only one amazed at friends who imagine cell phone behavior "never" infringes upon the feelings of others, or "never" links with questions of politeness? After reading discussion 1) Imagine yourself to be similar to the author of this article where you had to answer phone calls all day long, most of which are not “fun” calls. Would you still want to be attached to a phone 24/7 where people can call up anytime they want and find out what it is you are doing, where you are, etc? Why or why not? 2) In an average day, how many calls do you receive? How many of those calls are important and can absolutely not wait until you get home to be made? How many of those calls are made just to shoot the breeze and pass time? Is there still a need for your cell phone especially when pay phones are available for public use? Explain. Bauer, Daniel J. "Ring-a-ling, about Those Cell Phones I Do Sing." The China Post 21 Nov. 1999, natl. ed. : 34.

1) Do you feel a conflict between privacy rights and media rights?
2) Discuss an example where these two rights collide.

I wonder why in the world a person would want to carry a telephone through every minute of the day and night. I am flummoxed by the question. When my home or office phone rings, nine times out of ten, it brings a voice asking me to listen to someone's troubles, do more work, come to a meeting, or hurry up with a manuscript that is already six days late. A ringing telephone rarely brings me good news. To be happier in life, I am quite convinced what I need are fewer phone calls, not more!

To better understand the phenomenon, I conducted an anecdotal survey about cell phones these recent weeks among students at my university. Sincere thanks, by the way, to the many colleagues and students who made today's column possible, and especially to Yang I-an, my faithful assistant.

The survey attracted 325 anonymous participants from seven departments or graduate institutes. About two-thirds of the respondents are in the Sociology or English Departments, fairly evenly divided between freshmen and seniors. The remaining one-third are a smattering of sophomores, juniors, and graduate students.

Among all the survey-takers, 54 percent say they own or often use a cell phone. A whopping 75 percent of the users are females.

The reason I conducted the study was not only to track the extent of cell phone use in student life, but more importantly, to try to determine if our young friends connect the use of cell phones to good manners or politeness. ¹

Thus, I asked the user group to imagine themselves conversing with friends about a sensitive topic, and then hearing the buzz of an incoming call. "What would you most likely do?" To this query, 33 percent said they'd say, "Excuse me," and accept the call immediately without moving away from their friends. Slightly fewer, 32 percent, said they would excuse themselves, step away, and take the call out of the earshot of others.

In a similar question, I asked, "In your opinion, does your use of a mobile phone ever relate to politeness?" Of the users, 67 percent replied, "Yes, sometimes," with a strong 21 percent answering, "No, never."

Curious if respondents might feel differently with the shoes on their own feet, so to speak, I asked the phone-users if they had ever felt "disturbed" by others' use of cell phones, and sure enough, 76 percent said, "Yes, it sometimes happens." ³

Space limits prevent a sharing of more analysis today, but I hope to return to the survey, including student comments, in the future. For now, let me ask a simple question- am I the only one amazed at friends who imagine cell phone behavior "never" infringes upon the feelings of others, or "never" links with questions of politeness?

After reading discussion

1) Imagine yourself to be similar to the author of this article where you had to answer phone calls all day long, most of which are not “fun” calls. Would you still want to be attached to a phone 24/7 where people can call up anytime they want and find out what it is you are doing, where you are, etc? Why or why not?

2) In an average day, how many calls do you receive? How many of those calls are important and can absolutely not wait until you get home to be made? How many of those calls are made just to shoot the breeze and pass time? Is there still a need for your cell phone especially when pay phones are available for public use? Explain.