Folks, we live at a time where everyone else in the cabin is allowed to totally do what they want and ignore any or all of the regulations or instructions they are given. Because like they have like rights yeah?
Cabin crew probably want to enforce the rules and regulations but they know they'd be fighting petty battles with 30+ cretins that can't get off their smartphones for a few minutes. And if pilots insisted that all the rules were followed by everyone no plane would get off the ground.
If I don't have several gins before I get on a flight these days I want to punch the living **** out of some idiot nearby who thinks his/her right to screw about is more important than everyone elses safety and comfort.