I find it alarming in my everyday contacts with people at my work, social activities and doing my errands, of how "connected" they are with their cell phones, I-phones, and blackberries.
As an example, I play Texas holdem poker tournament with 45 to 50 others at a local sports bar. Typically there will be someone at my table who is reading or texting on their device continuously throughout the tournament. To be honest, I'm disappointed that these people don't pay enough attention to what is going on at the poker table paying more attention to that text they just received from who knows.... It’s like I'm playing against a person who is half there, halfway conscious and doesn't care about being there. Now we have rules against cell phone use within the poker tourney itself.
The point I'm trying to make is I believe there is a systemic problem within our culture when it comes to instant gratification. We seem to be addicted to getting stimulated through our electronic devices more than from each other. This in turn is isolates the groups setting in circumstances where the more important interaction at the time should be the person sitting next to you.
Am I being overly sensitive?
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 2
Not to me you’re not.
I personally do not have a wireless communication device. That's part because I do not want to deal with things like "minutes" and other cell phone service features. I just want to have a telephone that works, at home, when I wish to call someone or someone calls me. I also do not want to have that one more thing that I would have to carry with me through the day that might "go off" when I'm busy with whatever I'm doing, especially if that happens to be driving my car.
I'm okay with being unreachable when I'm away from home. I like it that way.