Hi All –
Today’s rant is on the growing tendency of people to use
their cell phones in social situations. Have you ever been to a movie theater, drawn into the
storyline, your eyes accustomed to the dark, only to be rudely distracted by
some nearby bozo checking messages on his or her cell phone? Your eyes have adapted to the darkness
of the theater and the light from the phone is a harsh and annoying
distraction. When a person
performs an action like this which annoys the people around him, he is said to
be rude.
Years ago, people did not want to be considered rude and
would be mortified at the thought of being labeled as such. Nowadays, many more people seem
concerned with their own wishes and have little respect for the feelings of
others. Being labeled “rude” is
inconsequential to them.
In this picture, we have a nice young couple who might be on
a date sharing a romantic dinner or maybe a married couple taking some time for
themselves. Yet they’ve been
seduced by the lure of the cell phone – the need to communicate with somebody
else. Why not communicate with the
person who is in the same room and at the same table as you are? The message clearly is that whoever is
on the other end of the phone is far more interesting and important.
Family meals are special occasions to be with loved ones, an
opportunity to support each other and build bonds which will last a
lifetime. They are occasions to
express ideas and opinions, to have a trusted audience which will help you to
shape your thinking. When you are
on your electronic device, it says clearly “I’d rather be somewhere else
because this is boring.”
You might be led to believe that people in earlier
generations were, in fact, more sociable and I believe that is true. One reason given for the decline
in sociability is, ironically, that technology allows us to be much more
communicative than ever before – so we take advantage of that fact to talk on
our cell phones or check e-mail or instant message or twitter or post to
Facebook or Google something interesting or check traffic on our map app or
continue a network game or jot down notes or . . .
And yet, people have always found ways to isolate themselves
in the midst of others.
So really it’s your choice. Are you more comfortable interacting digitally or bonding
with others in a face-to-face manner?
Which will give you greater satisfaction in the long run?
Have a great week!
Kevin
Great article. You brought some important points about how technology is negatively affecting our social lives by providing the illusion of having many friend that none of them is truly a friend. Some people have thousand of so called "friends" on Facebook that keep them busy from talking to people in person but they are actually alone. they, in real life, end up with having no friend to talk to and share the true friendship and support as it meant to be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that older people are more sociable than younger people. Unfortunately the trend to replace true friendship to some stranger is getting stronger and true friendship, as we know it is vanishing,
It's sad isn't it? The illusion of many friends but only digitally connected. I lost a good friend to cancer a few weeks ago and it has left quite a hole.
Delete