I think mobile phones are a huge problem here in China. unlike in the USA they are cheap, readily available, and you don't have to pay for calls made to you, the old double dipping allowed in the USA to feed these fat hogs that are cell phone companies.

Disagree with you here. Many phones in the U.S. are free with carrier contract. Or, offered at substantial discounts with your overvalued, overpriced service. Further, a good phone in China is comparatively priced, even higher priced in some instances, than phones in America.

I don't buy the statistic that only 17 percent of Chinese have cell phones, from what I can see most people have them. Often I will see a half naked coolie who is clearly hurting for cash pull out a rather nice cell phone to answer a call, doesn't surprise me too much anymore.

The most recent figure I saw, just a couple of day ago, is 300 million users in China. About 23 percent.

Cell phones are the new brain candy, spend all your free time smsing or on the phone, then you don't have to think about anything. As if people in this world need more distractions, they don't believe me.

What you do not consider here is that a large percentage of persons now using cell phones are the offspring of the 'one child' policy. These children, young adults and grownups have no siblings, perhaps no cousins or even playmates, and their use of the phone is their only way to stay in touch with others their age. In other words, this is the only way they have to socialize. Sad.

I think addiction is putting it mildly, it seems like everyone has the head down sending messages, instead of living in the world and experiencing the now. Sadly the problem will only get worse I think, as cell phones get more advance and offer more features. Soon enough all cell phones will have two way cameras, and well be in star trek land, with people chatting away, able to see each other on their individual cell phones.

Indeed, and who will be at the forefront of this technology....the West, of course. I'd like to point out here that what yourself and others often fail to realize that what often appears to be shortcomings of the Chinese is nothing more than U.S. and Western product marketing strategies to lure the Chinese consumer. Still the most sought after marketplace in the world.

Isn't it scary how we employ more and more distractions of a nature that require less and less though. What happened to art, theater, music, reading, or simply existing within the moment, in peace and relative tranquility? Good luck finding any of those things in this brave new world. Sickening.

This is still the most visible, viable and most practiced form of entertainment within China. Been to a local park lately?

However, after all is said and done, I do have to agree with you on many points.