If you're ever walking to the library at the University of Akron, this is what you'll see:
Phones. Everywhere.
Students, and staff, are texting or talking on their phones and not paying the least bit attention to the world around them. I'm not going to say that I've never walked to class texting, or talking on my phone, but have you ever just looked around you and saw the excessive amount that people use them?
There are multiple studies that have come out in the last couple of months describing how relationships between friends, coworkers, family, and spouses are all taking a hit when it comes to cell phone usage and in-person interactions.
We all know that it's easier to just text someone than give them a call. And it's a lot easier to call someone than actually see them in person, but our society has become almost virtual in the relationship department, because of the convenience of cell phones and technology versus taking the time to actually interact with someone. Even our dating has become virtual on websites like Tinder, Match.com, eHarmony.com, and more!
But even if that person you met through a dating website actually manages to take you out on a real date, in today's world, there's a pretty good chance he still might be glued to his phone instead of your conversation!
Plus, the biggest issue I have with texting someone compared to seeing them in-person is the miscommunication that often happens when talking with someone. In fact, this just happened to me the other day. I was talking to my boyfriend about the smallest thing and it ended up in a bit of an argument because we both misunderstood each other. Texting doesn't use emotion or meaning; it's just words on a screen. People can interpret your meaning in a completely different way than if you were on the phone or face-to-face, where they could clearly understand what you were trying to say.
And if an argument ever does happen between you or your significant other, people often tend to hide behind their phones instead of facing the problem head on. If a disagreement ever happens over texting, I'm willing to bet it's because some kind of miscommunication happened compared to what you were actually trying to say.
Since when did our society become so overtaken by technology that we hide behind text messages or anonymous accounts on Facebook or Twitter? I know that technology is a good thing, especially with medical advancements and scientific research, but in terms of our social lives, I think they've taken a turn for the worse.
