This phenomenon has precedents. When I was in college, many (many!) years before cellphones, and before personal computers, I went to see my undergraduate advisor. Oh no, a long line of students outside his office! Looks like over an hour wait. So I had a brilliant idea: I trotted back to the dorm and called him on the phone. He picked up on the first ring, and I got to ask him what I needed to while everyone else waited.

He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, but in the thrall of some psychological effect that I guess is part of our current smartphone pathology.