They must enjoy it or they wouldn’t be doing it?

I had this same issue the other night when out to dinner with my brother. I tried to use humor and kind of jokingly said something like "hey, can't we all go just one hour without our phones?"

I was half kidding, but he got the hint and we continued to enjoy a quick bite to eat. I think humor can go a long way in these situations if you choose to speak up.

Wishing you peace <3

I have stated if we are eating together, phones will not be at the table. We do this everywhere now.

I was invited to a friend's house. Her phone was on the table the entire time and ... so I turn down invitations to her house and tell her it's because if she wants to talk to me, we can do it outside.

It's a habit for a lot of people.

Best wishes whatever method you choose.

MY neice's hubby is constantly with his nose in his phone....saw them last weekend and he walked into the church funeral room and nose went right into the phone....I commented....he is extremely rude with his phone...extremely......last time we had dinner as family after my Mom had died I decided to sit by him and his nose did not come out of his phone....so I got up and moved way far away to other people who were there that I could enjoy conversation with.....

Our phones are actually an addiction for some people. The games, the number of likes in social media, all are addictive and designed to be that way. My friends have phones put away and ringers on vibrate. An apology and excusing oneself to another room, if you must take a call is acceptable. (If it doesn't happen all the time or for all the time you have gathered.) I once told someone to let me know when they were ready to talk to me. It got the point across, not so humorously, and they don't do that at lunch with me any more.
I believe we have to confront when we are unhappy with how people behave. It is mighty hard sometimes. But it is how we teach people to treat us.

I think it’s just the new social norm.

I'm glad I grew up before cell phones. Why get together if you are not
going to talk to each other. Try leaving your phone in your car if you
are addicted. Or get help for the addiction.

I agree with you about them. I teach community college, though, and we instructors lost the cell phone war a while ago. I get it. Who needs a teacher when you can just google all knowledge on your phone? Why should I pay attention to that teacher when I have the greatest entertainers in history on Youtube in the palm of my hand? Why waste time just chatting with friends when you could have video of their lives, too, on Facebook?

I wonder, though, if at some point there isn't going to be a backlash at some point, at least a small one, because of how extreme it's become. I'm walking past people in my school's halls now who are on speaker on their cell phone carrying on animated conversations with arms waving as if no one else were around. If you'd seen a person acting like that before the Internet and cell phones you would have had a straitjacket put on them for their antisocial behavior.

I believe there is a balance in everything we do. there is not a right or wrong way to be. But there is respect for appropriate times and that brings balance.

I agree with those who speak their minds and do not allow the cell phones to control their lives and conversation. I think it is an addiction and the addiction is everywhere. Oh well. Perhaps we will have a support group for those who need to stop using their phone. I have a flip phone and it is hard sometimes because I do not text and everyone wants to text because they don't want to have a real conversation. Texting is not something I want to get into.