A Little More Conversation, A Little Less Action Please

I’d been thinking a lot lately about how tech-y our world has become. You know, how you’ll have conversations inside your head about the pros/cons of a situation - trying to decide just which side of the fence you stand on?  I’d been having those talks with myself - without moving my lips of course. People would point.

I was even ironing out an angle for an article, but the problem was - I found myself straddling the fence, unable to figure out which side to put a foot down on. 

I mean, the pros of all the tech-y gadgets are amazing.  Being able to send text messages across the miles, being able to download movies, being able to plug into your ipod and escape the world….

And yet the other side of the fence shows the “rest of the story” - Being able to send text messages across the miles rather than calling, being able to download movies rather than go to the theater with family or friends, being able to plug into your ipod and escape the world rather than be a part of it….

Last night, my husband, our youngest daughter and I went out to eat before hitting the movies. From the moment we sat down, a young boy (I’m guessing in the 9-12 range) was making a racket at a nearby table.  He fidgeted, looked bored, poked at his food.  His dad made a few futile attempts to talk to him, but he was having none of it.  Then mom disappears for a minute, and I’m thinking she had made a break for it.  Then she returns with what turns out to be a portable dvd player - she hooks the child up to it, and he becomes fixated with what’s on the screen.

I don’t know for sure, but I think that pretty much says it all. When a child can’t even make it through a meal with his family - it’s a sign of the times as well as a signal to my feet.  Part of me wonders what the future holds, say 10 years down the road.  I can actually see restaurants having dvd players built into their tables - one at each seat so that no one has to carry on a conversation whatsoever. 

There’ll probably be an automated system where you type in your order - so you needn’t ever speak to the waiter or waitress.  Supermarkets will start having U-scan aisles so you won’t have to actually face a human….. oh yeah.

The gadgets aren’t going anywhere, and if they remember their place - they can be assets.   It’s up to us humans to take control of them rather than the other way around. And, parents - please stop thinking only of the short term.  Even if it takes a few battles, lay the ground rules - there are times when the gizmos are not invited along.  And during these times, let the child know that he’s expected to be a human being…..a talking, smiling, laughing, living human being.  Think of the long term. Teach them the art of conversation - these young people will be running the world in which we live one day, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be ruled by robots. 

Joi