Where Have All The Manners Gone?

Last week we were at Bear Lake in northern Utah. It has been a vacation spot for our family for some decades now. The water sports and the condo area we are at is a lot of fun for all age groups in our family. One thing we have done the past couple of years is attend the melodrama at the Pickleville Playhouse. It is full of laughs and a lot of fun. I was sitting next to a young man and woman, early to mid twenties by my estimation. As the play progressed I kept getting these white flashes from my right side. They had their smart phones out. They were using thing as flashlights to read the program so they were directed right in my direction. I pondered for a moment whether I should make a suggestion that they turn off their phones completely until intermission or until the end of the production. It certainly distracted me from the melodrama as I pondered the different points of view that could arise from such a discussion. The phones weren't making any noise so they weren't bothering the entire audience. Maybe the direction they were flashing the light was only bothering me. I realized soon that they had family sitting on the other side and behind them, so they obviously didn't care. They were a handsome couple so I figured they were the nouveau youth, you know, their society and their social interaction has probably been completely dominated by cell phones. Later in the production the young man pulled his out and started playing games on it. I personally think we have gone way over the edge and maybe their should be cell phone ed classes like drivers ed classes. Is it really that hard to not turn on a phone for a couple of hours, really? Anyway I remembered reading Amy Alkon's book on rudeness, I think it is called There Are Rude People Everywhere. It's been a while since I read it, I'll have to dig it out and skim it again. I wonder if a heavy duty case of flatulence would be considered just as rude, especially if it was quiet.