Okay, I’m going to approach this question from a different angle. Keeping in mind, that I don’t have any clinical studies to back my thoughts up with, but it appears to me, that we are unlearning the ability to [actively] listen to one another. Especially ever since smart phones do just about everything, except make a cup of coffee [exaggerated to drive my point home]. Be honest, how many times have you seen this, especially among the young people: they sit at the same table and have a chat via cell phone and one of those annoying apps [for example]. Instead of verbally communicating, they write text messages, with their fingers moving across those tiny letters in high speed. Add some emojis for additional charme and we have our new form of communication. Take all of those entertainment apps, with short videos and pictures. Everything needs to be easy, colorful, funny and quick to absorb. That doesn’t do any favors to our attention span, does it? And it is noticeable in face to face conversations, time and again. During social interactions – that I could not successfully avoid – it becomes apparent to me increasingly often. We wait [im-]patiently for the other person to finish, just so we can finally have our turn to speak. I catch myself disappointingly often, realizing afterwards, that I “heard the other person talking“, but did I really pay attention from start to finish? Did I really listen and understand what was being said? Or did it require too much energy already to be respectful and patient, while the other person with whom I’m having a conversation, ended communicating their thoughts? Did I only pretend to be interested to begin with, but blamed it on my short attention span as an excuse, and to make myself feel better for not “actively” listening?
I’m probably wrong, anyway. Progress is a good thing, overall. But as it all unfolds now, we haven’t done ourselves any favors with cell phones and how they seem to “control” our lives. With regard to communication we definitely need to get back to the basics. No offense intended, it is just my humble opinion based upon what I see – on the rare occasion that I leave my house.
Have a lovely weekend, everyone!!
Trivialities & Intricacies 