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1 in 8 Take Fake Phone Calls to Avoid Talking to Others
A survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that people are lying 13% of the time when they say they have to take a cell phone call around you. That number jumps to an inconsiderate 30% in the 18- to 29-year-old age group. The survey also found that 42% of the 18-to-29 group "have had trouble doing something because they did not have their phone nearby." More than a quarter of survey respondents...sorry, I have to take this call.
I'd post something worthwhile but I need to take this call. . .
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
"People are lying 13% of the time?" C'mon.
From RTFA, the real stat was that 13% of adults admitted to doing this ever. I think we can be generous and assume that that 13% aren't doing this 100% of the time.
DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
Please learn the difference between "13% of people lie" ("1 in 8 Take Fake Phone Calls") and "people are lying 13% of the time" before posting any more articles about statistics.
Liberty in your lifetime
It's a bit hard to convincingly fake taking a phone call when your phone is not ringing.
But more effective in the long term if you do it right...
Them: Blah blah blah
Me: Oh, that's my cell phone, gotta take this
Them: But I didn't hear it ring...
Me: [reaches into pocket, draws out nothing, looks into empty hand] It's the president!
Them: You don't even have a cell phone...
Me: [thumb to ear and pinkie in front of mouth] Yes Mr. President! TERRIBLY fucking boring! Ugly too!
Them: [never talks to me again]
but I have made certain that someone would call me at a certain time in order to extricate me from a situation.
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I see this crap all the time and find it tremendously disrespectful. I fall in that 18-29 age group, though at the upper end. I have a few friends at the lower end of that spectrum and they're worse than my older friends. I generally don't call those younger "kids" very often. Why would I want to invite someone to be a guest in my home who is going to eat my food, drink my beer, and ignore me? Then when they can tell you're getting irritated, typically after you point it out at face value several times, they might engage in conversation for a minute or two. Though when they do, you can tell they're not really involved in the conversation, but just waiting to talk. I don't need those types of people in my life. They're always looking for the next big party or next best thing instead of enjoying the company they're with.
So that being said, it's no surprise 3 of my best friends are in their 50s, and a couple others in their 30s and 40s. I'm by far the youngest in my normal social circle.
Interesting comment from an anonymous coward.
Anyway, telling people at your workplace to "fuck off" will likely lead to a talk with your boss or HR, disciplinary action, or termination. Workplaces don't like employees who "aren't good team players". Of course, they never do anything about the obnoxious loudmouth who keeps interrupting people who are doing real work so he can make himself look important.
I'd say the fake phone call is a good workaround for this problem.