My parents have always told me to put down the phone and
talk at the dinner table. I always got annoyed with them and asked why they
cared so much. They would tell me that it was rude and dinnertime was family
time, a time to catch up on everyone’s day. I never thought I’d actually admit
my parents were right about something and I was wrong. But I must do it now. I
was completely wrong and technology has truly corrupted communication.
After a long day of classes, all I want to do is be able to
catch up with my friends at dinner. With all of the new cool things and apps
the iPhone has provided us with, some of my friends can’t peal their eyes away
from their phone. When I ask them a question, I get nothing but silence. I then
have to repeat my question until I break their focus and they actually hear me.
I find it rude that games like scramble
and words with friends are consuming
my friends’ attention and me and my other friends sit and watch.
I didn’t realize how consuming these games really were until
I heard my friends were communicating through the chat provided by the game. I
thought texting was getting out of control—giving people a way out from having
to talk to each other personally. I think talking through the game and not even
getting the person’s phone number has taken things to a new extreme.
When people are asking others to their date parties and
formals via words with friends or draw something, I think that technology
has pushed things too far. I am shocked that people no longer have the courage
or etiquette to ask in person to something such as a date.
In my opinion, it didn’t start with phones. Computers and
game stations are also a source for this lack of communication face to face. I
remember growing up I would hear my brother from the room next door talking to
someone. When I would walk in, no one was on the phone or there with him. I
would find him playing on his X-box. When I asked who he was talking to, he
replied with a sign-in name for X-box. X-box decided to come out with something
called X-box Live. With this, players could interact with one another by
talking to each other while playing against each other.
Now is it just me? Or does someone need to do something
about the lack of communication in the world?
I completely agree with what you are saying. My parents, as like yours, are always telling me to put down my phone, and though I'm aware of it...I sometimes can't help it. We live in a generation where children are so consumed with technology that communication is decreasing. My parents are constantly saying how texting and cell phone, while they help, are dangerous. Children are not even having the communication of speaking through a telephone, and their communication is simplified to slang words on a screen. I think if society is going to better itself, then parents need to put their feet down and make sure their children are not letting this technology rule their lives. Communication as a result will improve.
ReplyDeleteSammy, I completely agree. I get so frustrated when I am trying to talk to people, and they're too focused on their games to even notice. To think that people are asking others out on dates through these games is even more absurd! Just the other day, someone asked me what I thought about guys calling girls rather than texting. He was stunned when I said I preferred the phone. He said that he had called a girl earlier that day and that she didn't answer. Just one minute later, she texted him as a reply. I understand that texting is just an easier method of communication. However, I think we could at least follow an "eye for an eye" strategy--If someone calls you, you CALL them back. Texting is not the same as calling and shouldn't be treated as such! Obviously phones serve important purposes, namely safety as the main one. But people need to put their phones in perspective and not let them take over their lives!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post, as I have definitely been told to put my phone down. I think that we don't realize how out of hand and unacceptable this is until we are the ones not being talked to or responded to. It's not just at the dinner table, but walking to class, hanging out in the family room, etc. When I want to talk to my friends and they are sidetracked on their phone, it's just plain annoying. I agree with you- technology has definitely gotten way out of hand. We rely too much on our phones and our gadgets to entertain us, and we just forget about spending time with people when we get the chance at the dinner table. Our generation has gotten extremely bad at this, and I am worried about the new technologies and the generations to come. Will we even know how to have face to face conversations in the future? Or will we text each other from across the dinner table?
ReplyDelete