For whatever reason, I find myself reading the “Dear Abby” advice column every day. Of all the topics, one seems to be recurring more and more as of late: cell phone etiquette. Her advice, as well as the advice of other “etiquette gurus”, is that the checking of texts, emails, Twitter, etc. is inappropriate when out to dinner, having a conversation or, generally, during any interaction with another person(s).

While I see her/their point, I find myself, respectfully, disagreeing. In this day and age, smartphones are becoming more and more common. Just try going to a college campus and not finding hordes of students carrying BlackBerrys/iPhones. Go ahead, we’ll wait…

See what I mean? I don’t find Ms. Van Buren’s opinions to be wrong, simply out of date. In our culture, information is readily accessible from anywhere, at any time. To not use this ability would be tantamount to the Biblical story of talents (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-28) which, for those unfamiliar, can be summed up as saying, “you were given this ability, don’t waste it”. I realize this is much easier said than done. Just the other day, my mom attempted to lecture me and my brother for our rather-constant checking of our respective BlackBerrys while at lunch, saying it was rude and inappropriate. Not to slight my mom’s views, but that’s just the way things work today.

Look at the Stock Market – if you are 5 seconds late buying/selling a stock, it could make millions of dollars worth of difference. Literally. Or, for a more generally-applicable example, think of how useful a weather app is. If you’re like me (26, single, male) you don’t really plan things out. In fact, the only weather report I get is from my BerryWeather app. Yes, it’s sad but true, the only weather I’m aware of is what my phone tells me.

These are just two examples of how checking your phone like an OCD hummingbird on crack can prove to be life-changing.

I understand that people (read as “the older generation”) have their views of technology, but maybe they aren’t as up to date as they should be – both the people and the outlook. Maybe it’s time to stop getting annoyed with people checking their phones. Maybe it’s time to ask why they are doing so. Are they waiting for an important call or email? Are they checking to see when the snowstorm is going to hit so they can decide whether or not to go to the store? Or does it even matter? I would argue the reason is moot; in our time, information is transferred instantly for a reason. And to not make full use of this ability would be a crime. Need evidence? Just look at how many smartphone users there are. For a better number, don’t count your stereotypical, business user. Consumer use of cell phones has grown dramatically over the past few years, especially with Apple and Google entering the mix. There has to be a reason for that. And that reason is…everyone wants, and practically NEEDS, to be in contact with the world around them at all times.

So let’s try this: stop getting annoyed with people checking their phones all the time. This isn’t just some passing fad; it’s the way things are going to be.

At least until we can make “instant” faster.

Guru Ricky