why do people “light” cell phones at concerts and not lighters?
Smoking is way down. People used lighters because everybody had one; they flicked the lighter as a spontaneous gesture. Today, they’re a lot rarer, so the spontaneous gesture involves what you have on hand: your cell phone. It’s the spontaneity, not the money, that makes the gesture meaningful. But I agree with you: the cell phones are tacky. They don’t flicker and they don’t give off light in all directions, so it doesn’t look like much except from the stage. It would be better (but still lame) to use a keychain flashlight. I don’t smoke (never have) but I usually carry a lighter with me. Besides, you never know when something is going to need to be set on fire.
