Ever since I was a little girl, I was taught manners. I was taught to chew with my mouth closed, to share my belongings, to look at someone when they were talking to me, and more. Today, many of these simple manners seem to be lost on newer generations and even on my own. After serious contemplation, it seems to me technology is root of this problem.
Sure, technology has made a whole new world available to us, where knowledge is at our fingertips. But it has also made our human interactions and relationships a lot less meaningful. Are you really having a conversation with someone if there is a screen between you? My heart breaks when I see couples on a date, yet both of their phones are out almost the entire time. How can you talk to someone if they are flipping through their Instagram feed and not giving their full attention to you? I won't lie: I am not perfect, I have done this on several occasions. But each time there is a voice saying STOP! I try to put myself in the other person's shoes, asking myself how I would feel if every time I started to say something, they pulled out their phone. It feels like they don't really care about what I'm saying and don't have enough interest (or manners) to listen to me for a few minutes. Technology is obliterating the art of one-on-one, human communication.
Trust has taken a hit from technology, too. With the ability to see comments and likes on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, there is a huge lack of trust. If you see a photo of your friends hanging out and you weren't invited, you immediately feel left out and hurt. Or, if you see your significant other liked and commented on another person's Instagram picture, you may feel like they aren't being faithful, when in reality all they did was comment. This can create a barrier in relationships because there really is no privacy or trust. I came across this picture the other day and it really just validates that there is zero trust in relationships.
I know that technology is a great resource, but make sure to check into reality once in a while. Put down the phone and really have a conversation. Listen and feel. It's good for you! Don't monitor your significant other's social media - trust them. Try to master the art of conversation by actually having one without your phone as a distraction. Be alone with your thoughts for ten minutes, and see what you can accomplish. So I challenge you to try and go a whole day without picking up your phone when you're talking to someone. Give them the attention they need and deserve. Trust me, you will feel a whole lot better.
