Our world today revolves around technology and our relatively newfound need to be constantly connected. It is rare that you meet someone who does not have at least some form of social media account and you almost never meet someone who does not own a cellphone. Our cellphones have become our lifelines and our lenses through which we view the world. At first our attachment to them might seem trivial but look again and the power these little squares have over our lives is getting startlingly out of hand.
Simple, social interaction without distractions is hard to come by now. Whether it is our phones, a television, or the internet there is always something to take our focus away from the here and now. Next time you're with friends, take a moment to look up and observe. More often than not there will be someone looking at their phone, and many times there will be more people on their phones than off. Hanging out with friends has somehow morphed into meaning getting together to look at electronic screens while halfheartedly engaging in conversations. If spending quality time together now means that each individual in the room is focused on someone or something who isn’t physically present then we might need to revisit our definition of quality.
Our generation is so attached to our phones that none of us really realize how weird it is that we devote so much time to them. Having serious conversations in person is becoming a foreign concept and we no longer know how to appreciate a moment for what it is without feeling the need to document it. We have become so focused on sharing our lives with everyone and always being available that we have lost focus on why we make plans with people in the first place: to enjoy their company. Being constantly on your phone detracts from your ability to appreciate these small moments with friends. When you look back, would you rather remember the little jokes and conversations with you all had or remember taking that selfie for Snapchat with them?
This does not mean we need to give up phones completely. They still have plenty of redeemable qualities and I can't deny that I love a good photo opportunity, but there must be a limit. All I am saying is that we need to lessen their control over us so we can all get back to fully enjoying the world around us.
