I remember when expecting friends to look through a stack of vacation photos was considered rude. Isn’t it just as rude to push an iPhone in a friend’s face to make them look at vacation pictures? “Look at our hotel lobby in Naples!” “Look what we had for lunch in Rome!” How do I get out of this situation without ruining friendships? —FRIEND

If only this annoyance were limited to travel photos! I am frequently shown pictures of ordinary kitchen renovations, run-of-the-mill brunches, and children in every activity. (And don’t forget the dead time while friends search their camera rolls for that perfect shot.) Still, criticizing people for common behavior, even nicely, rarely succeeds. Here’s my script: “Please put your phone away! I look at screens all day long. I’m interested in you. Tell me more about your trip. You can send me the photos later.” Note: It sometimes works.


—Adapted from “Social Q’s” in The New York Times Magazine