(full disclosure: I have never owned a smartphone)
There can't be many of you left!
In my past, bars were never places (at least for me) of meeting a new guy.
Maybe not to go home with - but for many, this is the place of first contact, a change of number. It could be a party with friends, on the bus, at the gym, walking around the park - "first contact" still happened without a swipe based on a profile picture and a set of interview questions.
We are being entertained to death.
Yes. THis is the thing where people feel that they are "choosing" a lifestyle where they are alone, but is it actually their choice, or their conditioning?
Flirting was fun when I was young.
I think there is more to it than fun, as it is practicing a set of skills that build the ability to connect with people and importantly in my opinion, understand when someoneis genuine or not. There are so many abilities clustered into this kind of interaction that help us through life. It is not just about "picking up", it is about building valuable relationships and knowing, when it may be harmful. "kids today" seem very, very bad at reading people and then we wonder how they get into such bad situations.
I suppose it is all how you define "flirting." To me there is an objective. One does not flirt with friends, if they are being a true friend. To me, flirting was like an invitation: I like you. Let's spend more time together and see how that goes. I can have a laugh and enjoy an evening out without it considered flirting. But that is my understanding of the word. :-)
And I won't be getting a smart phone, if I can help it. I am at the age where it might be okay to get a "granny" flip phone that just calls and texts. That's all I need, and if I didn't live in the country I wouldn't even bother.
But the skills learned in that context aren't flirt dependent, they are all relationship applicable. It is just a testing and practice ground with additional incentive.
I wouldn't get a smartphone if I could avoid it either :)