Technology: You’ve got to love it! It makes our lives so much easier. Whether it be a PC, iPad, smart phone, etc., we can conduct business, stay in touch with business partners, clients, and family and friends. We can also send/receive important documents and so much more. Technology allows us to do just about everything without ever having to get out of our pajamas or brush our hair if we don’t want to. I am an advocate.
Although I’m an advocate of technology, I am not an addict like so many people seem to be. Is it just me or does it seem like wherever you go, people are getting "tech-gether," rather than together?
At restaurants, I often see 3-4+ people sitting at a table together yet none of them are conversing. Each one is honed into their own device.
Being a mother of four teenagers, I can’t seem to have an uninterrupted conversation with any of them – EVER. There’s always a text, tweet, Instagram… you get the idea. It seems that they’re never truly listening to what I have to say. We rarely spend family time together when we’re all home. Instead, Dad’s watching TV, I’m on the computer, and all four kids retreat to their rooms to pay homage to their various technological devices.
Even with all the ads the movie theaters have come up with to tell people not to use their phones, etc. during the movie, there’s always someone who will anyway. That little light from one phone in the dark theater seems to shine like a beacon and you can’t help but divert your attention from the movie you’re watching. Rude? I think so.
How about the people who text and drive? Seriously?
What about those who walk around with their face buried in their phone? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to hit the brakes in a parking lot because someone was paying more attention to their phone rather than to where they were walking. It’s infuriating!
There are times and places to use technology. Like I said, I use it all the time. However, I believe it’s destroying personal social interaction amongst friends and family members. I, personally, still like getting together with friends and family with good, old-fashioned talking and laughing face to face.
I saw a great idea on Pinterest that I’m going to implement in my home. Simply place a basket or some other type of container near the front door with a cute little sign saying, “Spend time with the people that are here.” When family members/guests come in, their phone is deposited into the basket. They pick it up as they leave.
Another pinteresting idea for restaurant get-togethers is for everyone to place their phone face down in the center of the table. The first one to use their phone (for any reason), pays the bill. (With kids, it can be chores).
As for the movies, there’s this little thing called common courtesy. Turn your sounds and vibration off. If you must use the phone, step out of the theater.
Finally, kudos to California and all the other states that’ve made a law against texting and driving. It really should be a law in every state.
So, there it is - my little rant against technology. It’s got its purposes and A LOT of them, but when it comes to socializing, there’s just no substitute to human interaction.
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