"You can find them anywhere there are people and inclines: train platforms, gyms, grocery stores. They come in different shapes and sizes, they represent every age and demographic, but they all move in the exact same way - slow-motion shuffle, scroll, lift foot, poke screen, land foot, repeat. The worst ones get to the top (or bottom) of the stairs and suddenly stop. This would be justifiable if they received notification of a nuclear warhead careening towards the city. But it's usually just a Slack they have to read extra carefully."
"What are the non-stair-texters left to do? Huff and puff and overtake on the left, I guess, in the hope that no one is walking the opposite way. It's not a day-ruiner, but that's only because it happens too many times in the day to justify a mental meltdown. Still, it is extremely frustrating and even thought-provoking. How did we get to a place where this behavior is (if not acceptable) completely ubiquitous? What does it say about our collective relationship with screens and, specifically, our evolving relationship with discomfort?"
Stair-texters appear everywhere and move in a characteristic slow, distracted pattern that obstructs others and often stops abruptly at stair landings. The behavior provokes annoyance but also prompts reflection about why people turn to phones in such moments. Researchers characterize this as a "micro-escape" or emotional regulation tactic, where brief phone use helps people avoid undesirable real-life emotions or situations. The habit reveals an evolving relationship with screens and a tendency to prioritize short-term comfort over brief physical or social inconveniences. The ubiquity of the behavior points to broader norms around device use in public.
Read at InsideHook
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