Phones Off, Please
The Standard We Risk Losing
We have all seen it: the glowing rectangle parked proudly on the dinner table, buzzing like an unwanted guest.
Or worse, someone scrolling mid-conversation, nodding absently while you wonder if they even heard your last sentence.
Somewhere along the way, we decided the smartphone earned a seat at the table.
It has not.
Once, meals carried an unspoken rule: attention belonged to the people present.
A phone on the table was a signal of distraction, a small crack in the social contract.
- Meeting a friend? The phone stayed pocketed.
- Family dinner? No screens in sight.
- Business lunch? The table was for conversation, not notifications.
Those small acts preserved presence, respect, and civility.
Why It Matters
A meal is not about eating; it is about acknowledgement.
A visible phone says, “I am elsewhere.”
One phone out begets another until the table looks like a call centre.
We lose the cadence of conversation, the weight of attention.
Courtesy in the twenty-first century is measured not by posture or tone but by presence.
Silence can be manners; absence never is.
The XXI Protocol
- Put It Away Entirely
Not face-down, not half-hidden by a napkin. Away. - Announce Exceptions
If an urgent call is expected, state it before the meal. Clarity is courtesy. - Make It a Rule
At home or with friends, declare the table a phone-free zone. - Lead Quietly
People follow example, not enforcement. Presence persuades.
The Closing Word
Courtesy erodes quietly, then all at once.
Putting your phone away is not a grand gesture.
It is proof that the person in front of you still matters more than the screen beside you.