# Jerks with Cell Phones in Movie Theater

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 25, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935 "2016-11-25T01:02:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935/41 "2016-11-28T15:50:31Z")

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I might try something more passive aggressive like kicking the back of their seat or tossing popped corn.

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**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935/42 "2016-11-28T15:59:30Z")

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Get a laser pointer and start lasing their screen as they’re trying to read it.

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**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935/43 "2016-11-28T16:58:47Z")

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> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> Well, I’m not actually someone who does this (I don’t even own a cell phone currently) but I know the answer: to an awful lot of people OTHER people are only sort of theoretical people. They should consider the impact of their actions on OTHER people? What a weird notion.

Excellent point. I think a lot of rude drivers have the same attitude about the drivers around them.

Maybe it’s the “Sims Effect” at play?

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**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935/44 "2016-11-28T17:16:57Z")

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> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> Well, I’m not actually someone who does this (I don’t even own a cell phone currently) but I know the answer: to an awful lot of people OTHER people are only sort of theoretical people. They should consider the impact of their actions on OTHER people? What a weird notion.

> [@ZonexandScout](#):
>
> Excellent point. I think a lot of rude drivers have the same attitude about the drivers around them.
> 
> Maybe it’s the “Sims Effect” at play?

I don’t know whether **StarvingButStrong** meant _all_ other people (i.e. these people are effectively narcissists or solipsists), or just other people that they don’t know, have never seen before and will never see again, are outside their [monkeysphere](http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html).

Plenty of people _are_ considerate of the strangers around them, though. Is the difference that they were _taught_ (explicitly or by example) to be considerate of others, or is it more basic? Nature or nurture?

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**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-with-cell-phones-in-movie-theater/772935/45 "2016-11-29T02:25:06Z")

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Phones?

Pfft.

When we went to see Skyfall during its opening week, some asshat with a bluetooth earpiece was narrating the whole thing (maybe live-blogging? who knows?), presumably to his cousin/spouse out in the Valley somewhere. I was so incensed I stopped going to movies for five years, and in fact I’ve never returned to that particular theater.

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