I was at a party a week or so ago. There wasn't really anything outstanding about it: loud music, a beer pong table, artery-clogging food, all the normal party stuff.
The kicker? Literally every single person there was sitting in a circle, staring at a cell phone.
Nobody was talking.
I like to refresh Facebook an infinite amount of times as much as the next person, but I don't need to put on pants and makeup to do it. I don't have to leave the house to check my Twitter feed.
It's a little pathetic how much we rely on our phones. It wasn't this bad before smartphones existed. Or maybe it was, and we were just too young to notice it happening. I don't leave the comfort and solitude of my apartment to go sit around with a bunch of people who don't really seem to want anything to do with conversation.
It's straight up rude to do that to someone. I'm an introvert. If I'm using my time and energy to come see you, put the damn phone away. "But Raye," you say in a voice I can only imagine as whiney, "my BFF just Instagram'd a totally sweet picture of her dinner!" First, nobody cares. Second, I care even less than nobody. The Internet will still be there when you leave the party. I don't really know what's so interesting about a washed-out picture of a salad anyway.
We're losing our ability to socialize like real human beings. We communicate through emotionless screens and computer keys. I don't know what you're feeling through a text message. You don't see the look on my face in an email. Human interaction is suffering because we can't just disconnect for a little while. Why is it so hard for us to leave our phones alone? Did the Internet get better, or did people just get dull?
One of my absolute favorite things in the world is sitting down and having a long, intimate conversation with people I care about. When you're checking your phone every few minutes, I don't get the vibe that you're interested. I get the vibe that you're bored. At that point, it doesn't matter how much you contribute. Maybe it's just me, but it really grates on my nerves.
I can't help but wonder how much we're missing.
I know so many people, myself included, who say they just don't like talking on the phone anymore. "It's awkward. Texting is just so much more convenient." Is it really, though? Why is it so awkward to hear another person's voice? What are we giving up by retreating into the depths of the Internet for virtual conversations with faceless names?
I think we're giving up our ability to sympathize.
I think it's turning the world into a colder place.
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