Flying home last week, I sat next to an older gentleman who had the font size very large on his phone. As the door closed on the airplane and the announcement was made to put all electronics in airplane mode, he was busy day trading on his phone. It is worth noting, that he was making quick and seemingly random transactions for stocks based at an impressive rate. He did not, however, put his phone on airplane mode. It is a curious thing that many people in this modern age do not understand what airplane mode is and why it matters.
As we taxied and took off, his stock trades continued until we reached a few thousand feet. Out of frustration, he connected to the airplane WiFi but did not sign in or pay, just continued to be frustrated that he lost internet. I decided it was not my place to help him, so I listened to my music and read. It occurred to me I felt a level of contempt rising in me for this man who was not a rule follower, but I stopped and realized nobody is born knowing about airplane mode, so I decided compassion is the right choice.