When I worked in San Jose every workday morning I waited at the bus stop with other employees (generally no one I knew however) waiting for the Corporate Bus to arrive. Invariably everyone was engaged with their phones except me. I guess I'm old — I haven't found anything interesting on my phone to look at when I just want to pass the time.
I guess I mention this because I suspect that without phones, we might have chatted with one another, got to know one another while we waited for the bus to arrive.
> without phones, we might have chatted with one another, got to know one another while we waited
If I'm an employee on a company bus, I'm just as likely to be a (mostly) silent meeting attendee on a status meeting as listening to an audiobook or podcast. Sometimes I've done this and just communicated via meeting chat to give feedback/add to meeting discussion.
Without phones, I'd probably be WFH so I could attend the meeting.
I guess I mention this because I suspect that without phones, we might have chatted with one another, got to know one another while we waited for the bus to arrive.
Oh well.