In today's world, everyone is always looking down. Whether they are crossing the street, sitting on the bus, talking to a friend, or even eating, people are always looking at their phones. The rise of the mobile phone, and technology in general, is something that has hindered face to face communication tremendously, and it is affecting the way that we as humans are able to communicate with each other.
Don't get me wrong: the invention of the smartphone was a revolutionary advancement that made society so much more efficient. It put everything needed for day to day efficiency into a package the size of your hand. I will always be the biggest advocate of google maps, I really don't know how I would get anywhere without it. Not to mention the amount of time I spend on social media and on Spotify. There's no question that my phone is one of the most important, effective tools I own.
But I will also readily admit that the use of my phone as a communicative tool has played a role in my ability to properly socialize with other people. For example, having a conversation with someone on iMessage or Snapchat is so different from talking to them in real life. Commenting on someone's Instagram post or liking their tweet are small snippets of interaction that can never replace a true human interaction. Conversations over text do not have to be continuous like in person conversations; it's much easier to sound different over text because there's time to think of what to say next. When you are face to face, you have to be able to come up with a steady stream of topics, or at least be able to keep a conversation going to have a decent interaction with someone. Using Facetime or Skype means more interpersonal interaction because you're actually hearing someone's voice and can sense their emotions and meanings more clearly. Nevertheless, body language is a large aspect of communication and although video chatting can help you see this more, it is not the real thing. Calling someone and speaking over the phone presents a similar dilemma; you can hear whoever you're talking to but you can't see them.
Having a phone or electronic device handy is also a way to avoid social interaction. Nowadays if people aren't in the mood to talk they can just stick their headphones in or take out their phone and keep busy on it. Seeing someone using technology publicly, like on the bus or elevator, is more often than not a sign that they do not want to be disturbed. This may be why it has become more difficult to start conversations with strangers; no one seems available or even willing to talk.
The use of technology in communication seems to have caused a degradation in people's social skills. Now that technology and phones are here to stay, it is up to us to take the initiative to look up once in a while and start a conversation.
