The speakerphone paradox

[u/NeighborhoodJust1197]

I was at the pool today when a woman started having a conversation on her phone using the speaker.

I politely asked her if she could not use the speaker and pointed to my headphones.
She said, “I don’t have headphones.”
So I said, “You can just hold the phone next to your ear.”

She looked at me with a completely blank expression and said, “I’m on speakerphone.”
I said, “Well… that’s the problem.”

Apparently, we had reached the limits of modern technology.

[u/africanlivedit]

What’s the deal with what seems like everyone using their speakerphone these days?

[u/Greatlarrybird33 → u/africanlivedit]

If it's anything like my two sisters in law who are addicted to social media and reality TV, they see literally everybody on those shows doing it for the camera to get both sides of the conversation and all the sudden think that that's exactly what they have to do.

[u/Sunflower-in-the-sun → u/africanlivedit]

Personally I am lazy and prefer to not do the work of holding the phone next to my face, so I use speaker phone or headphones if I am at home. However if I am in public I do not take calls for everyone to hear because I have a sense of shame.

[u/africanlivedit → u/Sunflower-in-the-sun]

Wonderfully said.

[u/WhyWhyBJ → u/africanlivedit]

The amount of people who just flick through TikTok with the volume up in public places is fucking mental, people just don’t give a fuck. They have zero respect for others, they value their own entertainment over everyone else’s piece and quiet

[u/africanlivedit → u/WhyWhyBJ]

Yesssss and sadly, only gonna get SO MUCH worse.

Fuck. We old?

[u/WhyWhyBJ → u/africanlivedit]

Nar, we just respect others

[u/Environmental_Lie478 → u/WhyWhyBJ]

Pre COVID everyone used headphones.

Post COVID no one does, it is so bizarre.

[u/lowkeyhighdrama → u/africanlivedit]

IDK! I was rooming a patient sometime ago and they wanted to continue to have their conversation while I was doing it. They insisted that it wasn’t a big deal for the other person to listen in so I said “Why are we seeing you today? Are you the patient who’s having bloody diarrhea?” They weren’t of course, but they did get off the phone so I could finish my job!

[u/NewBet7377 → u/lowkeyhighdrama]

My doctor’s office banned cell phone use during appointments. I can totally see why they did it.

[u/Siffov → u/africanlivedit]

Are they doing video calls? Or in the habit of doing video calls (so they're only used to holding their phones out in front of their faces)?

[u/africanlivedit → u/Siffov]

Honestly just think it’s a trend … and especially with people just not giving a fuck about those around them as much anymore.

[u/PorkySnide → u/africanlivedit]

If I'm taking a phone call at home, I use speakerphone. Holding a piece of glass up to my face during a conversation just feels weird enough that when I have the option, I'll choose not to.

[u/greeneggiwegs → u/PorkySnide]

Phones are not really built well for conversations now. They are harder to grip and at an angle that causes them to stick to your face. They’re built for apps because most of us use them for that more.

[u/Meal__Team__Six → u/greeneggiwegs]

Phones haven't been built for phone calls since the introduction of cellular technology. People now don't even understand that landlines had zero latency and no background noise cancellation. Everyone thinks a phone call is supposed to have an insufferable voice delay and weird as fuck audio. Idk how anyone even tolerates that crap, presumably because they know nothing better.

[u/Sennten → u/greeneggiwegs]

And even though they constantly go black when you try to use them while on a call, the moment you hold them up to your face you end up accidentally pressing a bunch of buttons somehow 

[u/apocalypsebuddy → u/africanlivedit]

They are scrolling while talking

[u/Ballistic_86 → u/africanlivedit]

Reality TV

[u/maninahat → u/africanlivedit]

My theory is that they still want to be able to see the screen and continue what they were doing as they talk, you can't when the phone is to your ear.

[u/toolsoftheincomptnt → u/africanlivedit]

For me, my phone is old and I can only hear conversations through car Bluetooth or on speaker.

Why do I have an old phone? Bc Apple sucks and stopped making minis and I’m petite. I need to be able to use my phone one-handed and I can’t hold anything since 14 without stopping everything else I’m doing in a day and focusing both hands entirely on the phone.

Plus, I don’t talk that much anyway. I don’t enjoy struggling to talk in public with background noise. But it’s occasionally necessary for short conversations.

I wouldn’t get on a call at the pool, almost certainly. Why would I do that instead of just swimming and enjoying my surroundings?

[u/Expert-Car714 → u/africanlivedit]

Maybe it’s just my mom’s landline but I can barely hear her when she calls me. I always have to put her on speaker and even then I have to turn off the fan or stop what I’m doing because it’s hard to hear.

[u/Sennten → u/africanlivedit]

Modern phones just work a lot better that way. Audio is more clear, phone is more comfortable, no random button presses or intense heat against the side of your face 

[u/MeatMarket_Orchid → u/Sennten]

Found one!

[u/Larasmell → u/Sennten]

Intense heat? Is your phone powered by a nuclear reactor?