We’ve never had more means of communication – yet we communicate less and less, person to person. Why do we send someone a text message rather than calling them? Why do we email colleagues instead of going to see them at their desks, sometimes just metres away. How often do we call someone and hope it goes to voicemail so we don’t have to talk to them? Be honest.
Why do I receive Christmas messages knowing they are group texts that have gone to hundreds of others? That really makes me feel special. Why do family members keep us informed of the latest news via Facebook pages? Have we actually lost the ability to talk to each other or are we too lazy, too busy, or just can’t be bothered?
Social media and modern technology are powerful tools that can allow us to keep in touch. But, increasingly, it is allowing us not to talk to the person next to us. I go to restaurants and see couples on their mobiles doing whatever rather than having a conversation. How many times do we see people at cash registers talking on their mobiles while being served, which is so rude to the person trying to serve them.
How about cab drivers who spend the entire journey on their mobile phone? Excuse me, I’m paying for this, concentrate on the road. And I recently had an experience when someone with a mobile to their ear asked me a question and cracked it because I didn’t answer. I thought they were talking to the person on the other end of the mobile.
When we do talk, whether face to face or via social media, we absolutely slaughter the English language or reduce it to abbreviations that have now become part of the language. Who came up with ‘totes inappropes’ and ‘amazeballs,’ both of which are now in some dictionaries? Don’t start me on text abbreviations like LOL, IMO, YOLO etc. My mind boggles at what might be deemed appropriate communication in the future.
Why don’t we have a National Talk to Ten People Day using no electronic gadgetry? Imagine that. People talking to other people! Very radical.
■ What do you think? Post a comment below
■ If you have any news or events, let me know at kevin@howdypartnersmedia. com.au
