Really, though, I think what it largely comes down to is Dr. Talbot’s third theory — that of phubbing being seen as socially acceptable. Because asking someone not to phub, in 2023, feels like a naive, antiquated ask; and — while it really shouldn’t — it feels weirdly uncool. In Speak to Me, the character Susan muses: “He is always the latest him, whilst I remain the same old me. I’m like a figure from a historical novel.” Who wants to feel out-of-date?