Take a look around you. Go out to the mall, a bar, restaurant, anywhere. I guarantee more than half the people you see have their heads down staring at their phones. Whether they are playing flappy bird or texting someone on the other side of the mall doesn’t matter. They’re not taking note of the world around them or even trying to talk to the person or people right beside them. Couples will go out to dinner and set their phones on the table. There will be times when both of them are texting or emailing instead of talking to their “loved one” sitting right in front of them. Is updating your facebook status really more important than the person across the table from you?
And don’t even get me started on texting etiquette. If someone doesn’t text you back right away, it doesn’t mean they’re ignoring you. Odds are, they are at work or doing something that doesn’t involve forsaking the world around and their friends immediately around them in favor of a handheld device. Just because someone takes a half hour to get back to you doesn’t mean you need to purposely wait an hour to send your next message. But now we’re getting off tangent.
I used to think this dependence to cell phones was because we’re all afraid to be alone. We need constant attention and have to be texting, emailing, or pouring our hearts out on facebook or twitter. I’ve come to realize that’s not the case, though. People will text someone two states away when a friend is sitting right in front of them. Why? No one knows how to communicate face-to-face anymore. We’ll send pictures of ourselves without any clothes to someone we think is hot, but can’t even say hi to them when they’re standing right in front of us.
The problem is, these text conversations are not real conversations. People get a chance to filter their emotions and go through exactly what they’re trying to say to someone before sending it. You don’t get to know the real person when you speak to them through a text conversation. It’s like an online dating site. People will only put their best pictures on their profiles and tell you the best parts about themselves.
It is great we can “talk” to people around the country and world at any time we want, but let us try and stay true to what we have right in front of us. Don’t be afraid to stand or sit stand with your head up. You might be surprised at all the new friends you’ll make. Real friends too. Not facebook friends or twitter followers. Just remember, the more time you spend on facebook and twitter trying to get friends and followers, the less real friends you’ll make.
