Unlike The Atlantic, I do not believe Facebook and other social media are making us more lonely. However, I strongly believe they are making us more rude.
Go to a meeting. Any meeting. The first thing everyone does (or mostly everyone) is put their phones on the table. Them, rather than listening to the presenter and paying attention, almost everyone is texting, checking email, posting to Facebook or simply just ignoring everyone else.
Go to a restaurant. Are people interacting with their lunch or dinner companions? Nope. They are, instead, focused on their phone or tablet.
I think it started with the telephone. At a store or dinner table, a ringing telephone trumped live people. Now, even silent iPhones trump everything else.
To use an old argument, at your hospital bed or your deathbed, will your phone be there? Or will it be your real friends and family?
No comments:
Post a Comment