Face-to-Face Conversation, the dead art

My blog tonight is a social commentary on this cell-phone driven society we live in. Yesterday, at a breakfast meeting with four coworkers, I was amazed at the lack of face-to-face conversation because of cell phone intrusion. There we were, sitting around a circular table facing each other, laptops open, and everyone's cell phone placed on the table at their right hand sides. Every time we would start to talk, one would ring, then the other, then the other. It was like we were playing freaking Simon there were so many sounds coming from each place at the table. I don't consider myself holier-than-thou, I realize I live in a glass house, my phone was buzzing off the table. What really amazed me was that none of these calls were urgent, no emergencies, no stock market crashes, no huge problem to solve. People were literally answering there phone to telling the person on the line, "Hey, can I call you back, I'm in a meeting." Why even answer? Just let it go to voicemail. It wasn't always like this. I use to be able to walk from the Haley Center, down the concourse, all the way to the KA house in complete silence. I would be willing to bet if you made that trek now, a majority of the people would be chatting away on their cell phones. It makes you wonder how we use to drum up attendance at a liquor bar on Thursday nights without such easy access. And what's up with the cell phone belt clips? Are they really that much different than fannypacks. And if I ever another ringtone of "Jesus Take The Wheel" I'm going to calmly take the phone and Riverdance on top of it.

Well, what are you going to do? Like Bruce Hornsby said, "That's just the way it is." I guess there are a lot of advantages. I probably couldn't live without mine. So we'll just press on, ringing, buzzing, bad ringtones, and texting. Blackberries, crackberries, pearls, razors, etc. It will never end. You said it right Bruce, it is the way it is, and somethings will never change. I'm sure I've missed a few calls typing this blog.

Brian