Human interaction, it’s an oxymoron these days. As I wound my way down through the back roads to work today I spotted three humans, in athletic clothes, walking their daily walks, talking into a small rectangle held to their ears. Can you not walk the dirt roads, enjoy your solitude and nature, without being connected to the world? What or who is so important that you can’t talk to them later?
People come into the store. I ignore the land-line, which is probably vendors or potential customers calling, to focus on the person in front of me. And they take out that device playing a silly, tinny, rendition of a song, to speak to whoever is on the other end. They are more important than our interactions? You walked into my store, I didn’t invade your life!!
When did it become polite to dig in your pocket or bag to respond to a chiming brick and turn away from the human in front of you? How is this making life more connected??? I hear from generations of people who don’t know what a busy signal is, that I should text because they don’t talk anymore. Really? Communication has come down to glyphs and emoticons? I can’t do that. I have to find the perfect combination of letters or sounds, the way to clearly and intimately tell you what I am thinking and feeling and that can only be done with words in the simple language of my mother-tongue. I wish I could convey it in a romance language. I wish we used smoke-signals so you would have to think hard and interpret what I am saying before you could react. but that is not the world today. There’s an acronym for everything.
Everyone needs to see themselves reflected back through the eyes of someone they respect and honor. I am lucky enough to have lots of mirrors at this point in my life. Mirrors of daughters, mirrors of humans who reflect the finer points of who I would like to think I am.I worry about the human race and where we are headed…
Texting while driving from my post of last summer…
Therapeutic Misadventures 
The world abounds with cell phone rudeness! People have/answer them at restaurants, in theaters, in line at the grocery store and in the middle of ‘real’ conversations. It irks me to no end to watch someone at the check out, talking on their cell while the clerk rings them up. No interaction with the clerk, as if they don’t even matter. Usually without so much as a thank you as they walk away with their food. I agree with you – Really people?
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Manners have fled this world…
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Here Here! The dumbing down of society… grrrrrrr. I would have liked to think that all this texting at the expense of verbal interaction would at least bring us back to the lovely written word, delicious descriptions of things, but, as you say, there are abbreviations for everything… the spoken AND written word are becoming a lost art… Except, of course, for us die hards who love the sound of a literate conversation and relish the written words of a talented writer. Keep up the good work!
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Thank you, Doppleganger. So true and so sad. What can we do about it? Each and every one of us must write, speak and put away the electronics – make a conscious effort every day.
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Really a blessing and a curse. I have conducted business during a hike on a mountain – and without that ability I would have been left behind and stuck inside. But you don’t have to answer every little call – the world will not end if you ignore it. Phone as an intrusion.
Seems like people have become more isolated and are only comfortable “living” in social media or on phones. Did you see all the ones during the recent Tour de France race along the route with their backs to the actual race so busy taking selfies to prove the were at the race, they actually didn’t see it? Sad sad – and all too common
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Phil, your reference to the Tour de France should be the poster for what is wrong with this society. Yes, a convenience when used in a respectful manner. Glad you got to take the hike!
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We are all tied to these devices – some more than others and more’s the pity. I treated a niece of mine to a day of shopping, lunch and a pedicure and she was on that thing constantly. I didn’t know whether or what to say. I wish now that I’d spoken up. I’m willing to chalk it up to her relatively young age but still — maybe that’s all the more reason to intervene. Head off these bad habits before they’re able to really take root! It’s not just the young ones either though. I know many adults, sadly, who are just if not more guilty of ignoring the humans they’re supposed to be interacting with in favor of that ubiquitous small rectangle attached to their ears. I’m hoping people eventually rebel and decide in favor of more real interactions in lieu of this constant barrage of technology.
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So well said. I am prone to speaking up, not that it wins me any popularity contests..
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It has occurred to me that in the hands of our younger generations, these phones and the ability to communicate at the drop of a hat, facebook and so forth are like some sort of popularity contest that is self inflicted. “Did I get a text from anyone?” (read: did I get picked for the kickball team?”. It is a constant security blanket that is fickle and artificial…. kind of like an abusive relationship that makes the abused keep coming back for more. More’s the pity.
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Wow! That’s a scary thought but probably so true. A self-inflicted popularity contest indeed!
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I have one in case I get lost or hurt in the woods, but for about 99% of the time, I ignore it.
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So it is a convenience? What a concept!!
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I am so with you on this one. I was most perturbed that when I was atop a mountain recently, people were on their mobiles. I also agree that it is very rude to talk on mobile while you’re a customer being served in a shop or cafe. I always make a point of either ignoring ringtone or telling my caller that I’ll call them back. I’d much prefer to chat to the person serving me, especially when I’m in my “regular” places. There was a checkout worker who got into a lot of trouble for refusing to serve someone until they came off their phone. I don’t do text speak either, and always type in the full words, and punctuation. Though I do have a weakness for the emoticon… 🙂
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Those little interactions during the day with the people who come into your life for a moment are sometimes the most rewarding. So sad that too many folks are not taking the time to enjoy them! Thanks for commenting!
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My phone is mostly for taking pictures. We seem to be in danger of losing the ability to converse face to face. Even in restaurants you see couples staring intently at their phones rather than speak to the person on the opposite side of the table. At this rate the human race will die out.
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Time to take back the art of conversation, Marie. I agree, it is disheartening to see couples sitting in restaurants looking at their phones, or people walking through crowds, texting….
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