What happened to communication?
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
The question is what happened to communication? I am certainly for all the technological changes and advances that have occurred; but it has affected the communication process. Look at all the various ways we have to communicate with one another, email, skype, cell phone, land line, and texting! It allows us to keep in contact with others; however it also allows a distance to be formed.
The distance I am referring to is the ability not to go and talk to another person face to face. What happened to the days of front porch talks, church socials, dances, picnics, outdoor get togethers, and neighborly visits? I may be exagerating when it comes to front porch talks and church socials; but people do not have to get together face to face anymore to communicate or socialize. The sad thing is a lot of people use their cell phones in place of socialization!
Cell phones are great! They keep you in contact with your children, family, friends, and they can be used in an emergency. Let’s say your car gets stranded on the highway; you can use your cell phone to call in some help. They keep you in contact with your teenager, and it can let you know where he/she is during the day and the evening. There are many inappropriate uses of the cell phone.
One of the things that bother me about cell phone usage, is when you go to a restaurant and you see two people sitting, and one of the people is paying more attention to their phone, than the other person. I have talked to my two sons, about dating and cell phones. There is nothing more inconsiderate than paying attention to your cell phone, than your date! In fact, I tell them not to take their cell phones out of their pocket, unless they get a call. Cell phones should not be used in church, and you always hear someone’s phone ring during a church visit. Another place people need to silence their phones is at the movies. There is nothing more annoying to hear a cell phone go off during the show!
I live in a very social neighborhood; and we get together to talk all the time. We sit outside of my neighbors garage and watch sports, such as when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup! There is always one or two neighbors that are always gazing at their cell phones! People put your phones down and enjoy face to face with other people! There is nothing more annoying than when another person constantly looks at their phone.
Cell phones may be diminishing kids ability to hang out and talk! Last mother’s day, all the nephews were gathered at the dining room table. Instead of interacting with one another, they were texting! Unbelievable! Texting has been used in many situations, that should have been done face to face! The situations I am referring to are breaking up with another person, firing another person, and even asking for a divorice! People are taking the easy way out; actually the cowardly way out of an emotional situation!
Communication is one of the most important things that separate us from other animals. We are able to express out feelings, our joy, our sorrow, or our indifference. I am afraid that the more technology advances, we may lose the face to face communication, that is so necessary in our lives! Although technology is a great thing, it can be abused. Teenagers today are losing out on important social skills that can be used in jobs, and all other aspects of their lives. What happened to communication, can be answered in one word, technology!