I'm finding the more connected we are the more disconnected we become!  We've become a society of emailers, text messagers, voice messagers, instant messagers and now bloggers.  Here I am ranting in my blog about my frustrations with our societal communications.  What has happened to good old fashioned face to face converstations?  How can these inanimate devices have so much control over us?  We seem to have this primal need to communicate and be able to be in  touch with someone at the drop of a hat.   I have even taken my cell phone into the bathroom with me just in case I get that all important call.  How ridiculous is that?  And how many of us use that delightful little device to gain  power and control?  We all do, yet we feel so frustrated when some one does it to us.  I'm talking about call screening, or call ignoring, that's really what it feels like when your call isn't answered or worse yet, when your call isn't ever returned even though they say "Your call is very imortant to me, please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I am able."  Well when might that be?  Have they gone to the moon?  Will I need to wait until next week, next month, next year??   My personal favorite message is "I return calls between the hours of 11:00-1:00, please leave a message."  What kind of a message is that?  It sounds like, "I'm soooo important and soooo busy, I can't be bothered with you right now, even if you're having a heart attack, you will need to put it on hold until I have the time!"  I have heard this message used by several real estate agents and I find it extremely off putting.  If I was a potential client, that message would be an invitation to move on to the next and nearest agent that is willing to answer their phone.  My time is valuable too!  Whatever message you receive when attempting to make contact, is just a dead end and another incomplete task that you will need to attempt at least one more time.

The other form of communication I just don't get is text messaging.  People have full blown conversations using text messaging, which takes 10 times longer to communicate.  If you are able to make contact at that time with the person, why don't you just dial their number and speak?  My son tells me it is just easier, because you can continue doing other things while conversing, like playing video games or watching tv, talking to someone else or even playing basketball.  REALLY??  I know this is the preferred method of communication for the younger generation, but how cold and distant, you can't hear or feel an inflection in someones voice with this type of communication.   You can't see an expession on their face that lets you know if they are interested in what you have to say or if they care that your dog just died or that your parents are getting divorced.  These are conversations that come from the heart and need to be communicated without the distractions that are so readily available every where you look. 

I know that all this new age technology is here to stay and I need to get used to it and get on board, but I guess I am just longing for the simpler way of life, when you speak with someone and can look them in the eye and really get a sense of what they are trying to convey to you.  I find the phone and other forms of communication to be such a barrier between people and the best way to have a conversation is to make arrangements to have lunch and really get aquainted and connected.  I brilliant man I know named Rich J. once told me "the best way to connect with someone and keep them obligated to you is to break bread with them", what a beautiful concept!