Rant....Technology has changed our behavior!!
Let me start by saying I am addicted to my tech devices....as a Facebook user, and a blogger, my computer and Kindle are important parts of my life now. Since I'm not an iPhone person, I'm not that into texting, and rarely use my phone in public. This allows me to observe some rather horrifying behaviors....I call it Zombie behavior!
The Zombies are in cars, at bus stops, standing in line at the grocery store, in restaurants, walking down the street, picking their kids up from school.....everywhere....at any time.....heads down, staring quietly and emotionless at a small device in their hands, fingers dancing, and devoid of all human contact.
I saw two women having dinner in a restaurant....both were on their phones...no eye contact, no talking except for an occasional share of something on one of their devices. What happened to talking, laughing, gesturing and just having a good old raucous time over a meal and a good glass of wine!? The other day a woman was picking her kid up from school.....she waited, unlocked the car door, kid climbed in the back seat and she drove away without saying anything, looking up from her phone, or missing a letter. Without my pesky phone, I was able to wave to my grand daughter so she knew I was there, greeted her and asked her how her day was. You get the picture.....
I don't think it's a generational thing completely, but I do think we older folks have had a life time of personal communication, and it's natural to want it. I'm very concerned that the younger generation will miss out on this important aspect of life, and that it will become status quo to be sitting right next to someone while they are busy communicating with someone else on a little box. It won't even feel like being ignored....it will just be normal to have no body contact, no speaking, no eye contact. And someday, it will be normal behavior for them too. Am I the only one out there that finds this just so sad!!!?
Texting and driving is another concern, and probably another blog post....I see it everyday, and it's getting more commonplace. Even with new laws in place, how can it really be enforced?
These observations have started to change my behavior at home. If I'm busy on the computer, and someone needs to speak to me, I'm more inclined to stop what I'm doing and listen. I try to make certain times of the day for blogging and checking Facebook, or when I just have time for myself. I am purposely paying for texts, so I don't do it much, unless necessary with family situations.
What are you doing to avoid using or passing on Zombie behavior?
Rant on, sister. I HATE this behavior. It is, bottom line, beyond rude. My sweet nephew recently came for a visit with his 1 year old and wife in tow. We only get to see him about once a year. For most of the three days, he rarely engaged with us, just kept screwing around on the phone. Because he is CEO of a growing, very busy, very complex company, we all thought he was working working working and initially felt sorry for him. Turns out, it wasn't all work. A lot of time, he was disengaged while playing some stupid game, or watching some ridiculous video. I understand the need to unwind, but that's not the way to do it. People ARE losing their communication skills and some are never going to develop good interpersonal skills at all.
ReplyDeleteI buy 1000 cell phone minutes at a time and use it for convenience only. Texting is very rare. When I did find it useful was when Mike was in the hospital and I wanted to give everyone a quick update rather than taking the time to call everybody individually. That feature has its uses. But as a replacement for face to face human interaction, with all its nuances, it's a poor substitute.
And I am disgusted when I see people out in public, face to face over a table, each one engaged with that stupid thing in their hands.
Is it possible that when I am lying on my death bed, I'll be wishing I'd played another cell phone game or spent another family dinner looking at a screen? Such a waste of time. All of it. There's a whole beautiful world out there, full of living creatures human and otherwise, and there are actually still people alive who don't even have cell phones, let alone use the phone as an entire universe. That's a better goal than the latest version of an iPhone. Abandon technology. Be happier.
Hi Lynette...thanks for your comment....loved it girl!!!!! Sounds like you saw similar behavior....not okay with me....technology is here to stay, but we have to be aware how it affects those around us, especially kids. Getting more comments on FB, as I usually share my posts there...most agree with us!! Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteWhat's with the weird name....didn't know it was you!!!
ReplyDeleteI try to see people face to face rather than calling them. I try to call rather than sending an email. If I can send an email instead of a text or BBM I will do so.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Shawn....glad there are some of us that still like to see and hear real people!!
ReplyDeleteI loathe most technology for this very reason and resist the zombie disease(but am not immune) I look forward to when I finally get my apartment and have my own home. It doesn't have internet and I'm not going to try to add internet. My cell phone thankfully is emergency use only. I'm going to spend my days cooking, reading, walking dogs and having picnics at the marina when I'm not at work. A nice healthy life! Now if only a man would take the time to fight the zombie disease I might actually get a date while doing that!
ReplyDeleteHahahahahaah! DP....I hope you get all you want!!!!!! Good luck...there are good guys out there....I know, I have one!!!! And that was a second try!
ReplyDeleteI try really hard to not pull my phone out when I am with my friends or family. Occasionally I will need to respond to a message, or take a picture of something, but I try to use it very minimally when I am with people, because it does seem to be such a small part of our lives these days.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when my friends say, "Oh, I'd rather chat through text." Well, I don't want to chat through text. If I am chatting on the phone, then I can work on dishes, pick up around the house, walk around the backyard, or play tug-of-war with the puppy. If I chat through text, I am stuck texting.
Thanks for the new term! I will have to remember that one. :)
I'm addicted to my Face book too and spend way to much time on it pushing the buttons of my Republican friends :)
ReplyDeleteOH....me too!!! Unfortunately, the ones who need to hear what we have to say, probably don't get it or don't want to....
ReplyDeleteAn informative article. Thank you very much for you effort. Good job. Keep going :)
ReplyDeleteI have started to eat my food while not watching something on the computer. just me and my food like the old days.
ReplyDelete