My iPhone and my social etiquettes
Three or four out of every five people I meet these days have an iPhone (at least in the Northwest). One out of every ten people I meet does not have a Smartphone. A couple of years back, I was weirded by all the smartphone owners and their need to stay connected every minute of their waking-hour. I got mine last year right before I started school, and now I am one of them. “I love it” would be an understatement. It is more like I am addicted to it. I know I am not the only one. And that’s where the problem starts.
I went for a brunch yesterday and while I was waiting to be seated, I realized about 30% of the people on one of the bigger tables were on their iPhones (or other smartphones). I looked around to see another big group of people waiting to be seated, and about 40% of them were on their smartphones. I go for a family or friends get together and I always find someone or the other on their smartphones. I sit in any classroom and I can always see a handful of people on their smartphones. I am in a movie theater and I can see people on their smartphones. Sadly enough, mea maxima culpa, for all the misdemeanors I just mentioned. I me repente. But the question is, will I change it? Yet?
The social conversations are not the same anymore. The classrooms are not the same anymore. People’s attention spans are not the same any more. There is a need to multi-task and know everything right away at all times. I still remember the December of 2006 when the snow-storm took away electricity, gas, cable, internet from a lot of people in Seattle. Obviously, that wasn’t an ideal situation. But it almost forced us to give our undivided attention to the other people we spend time with, and connect at a deeper level. It is not a mere coincidence that the conception rate in this area was at its peak during that time.
I think we as humans go through different phases in life. We first try to make advancements in various aspects of our lives. Like using fancy plastic bags, or driving cars, or using newer and better technology. We then realize how it is accompanied with a big and not-so-positive impact on our health, environment, relationships and lives. We then make an attempt towards de-advancements, and try to go back to our older-cleaner habits. In the interim, we create polarity amongst masses in terms of their opinions about the need to make any changes in our habits. And let us not forget that a lot of developing nations are a few decades behind in their advancements. This means, that now when there is a drive to go back to the older-cleaner habits in the developed nations, there is a drive to move towards the new-technological-advancements in the developing nations. And it will be several years before we see the reverse trend in these developing nations. Oh, well.
I wonder when the detox routine for smartphones will begin, if at all...
I went for a brunch yesterday and while I was waiting to be seated, I realized about 30% of the people on one of the bigger tables were on their iPhones (or other smartphones). I looked around to see another big group of people waiting to be seated, and about 40% of them were on their smartphones. I go for a family or friends get together and I always find someone or the other on their smartphones. I sit in any classroom and I can always see a handful of people on their smartphones. I am in a movie theater and I can see people on their smartphones. Sadly enough, mea maxima culpa, for all the misdemeanors I just mentioned. I me repente. But the question is, will I change it? Yet?
The social conversations are not the same anymore. The classrooms are not the same anymore. People’s attention spans are not the same any more. There is a need to multi-task and know everything right away at all times. I still remember the December of 2006 when the snow-storm took away electricity, gas, cable, internet from a lot of people in Seattle. Obviously, that wasn’t an ideal situation. But it almost forced us to give our undivided attention to the other people we spend time with, and connect at a deeper level. It is not a mere coincidence that the conception rate in this area was at its peak during that time.
I think we as humans go through different phases in life. We first try to make advancements in various aspects of our lives. Like using fancy plastic bags, or driving cars, or using newer and better technology. We then realize how it is accompanied with a big and not-so-positive impact on our health, environment, relationships and lives. We then make an attempt towards de-advancements, and try to go back to our older-cleaner habits. In the interim, we create polarity amongst masses in terms of their opinions about the need to make any changes in our habits. And let us not forget that a lot of developing nations are a few decades behind in their advancements. This means, that now when there is a drive to go back to the older-cleaner habits in the developed nations, there is a drive to move towards the new-technological-advancements in the developing nations. And it will be several years before we see the reverse trend in these developing nations. Oh, well.
I wonder when the detox routine for smartphones will begin, if at all...