So I'm walking down the street and someone in the other direction is looking at their phone and not where they are going. I'm waiting for someone to arrive and they don't show up--no follow up, no excuses, nada. I'm at a party and several people are constantly checking their phones instead of engaging in conversation.
At the risk of sounding like an old fart --which I am--what the hell is wrong with these people and what happened to good manners? Autistic people are often accused of being tactless-- not from want of trying but-- my God. My mother would be appalled at the lack of civil politeness.
Young people today bemoan their isolation and loneliness--yeah, how often do they interact with people on a daily basis without their cell phones?
It's easy to blame the devices but the real problem is the egocentric culture that has evolved by design or accident that's causes people to drift apart. It's the addiction to our toys "amusing ourselves to death" as someone said - I forgot who, about modern life. It has corroded social behavior. We exist in a bubble of our own importance where one doesn't have to apologize or explain ones' uncouth behavior. The run on narcissism has to come to an end and not soon enough.
You want friends to joyfully converse with for hours, be a respectable person, be healthy and alive? Get off your stupid phone and the internet. Use a cell phone (if you have a landline) for travel or emergencies and texting is great for politely informing others when you're running late or can't keep an appointment. Limit time on the computer to allow for exercise, doing projects, writing and shocker, reading a book. Join a club, go to gatherings, go for a walk in the park--anything but look at your device while walking across the street or at the dinner table.
Please and thank you.
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