What is a conversation?
When you talk to someone does the conversation typically sound like this?
“Hey how was your day?”
“It was good.”
“Oh, anything exciting happen?”
“Nope.”
“Hm. Soooo just your typical day huh?”
“Yup.”
Yes, I am frustrated too; ohhh one word answers get to me! Since the onset of the “Information Age” it seems like a conversation is a hard task to initiate or uphold because everyone is in a rush to get back to their device, be it a phone, tablet or computer, and sometimes the television. We wonder why relationships falter or stagnate altogether; there isn’t an algorithm to figure that out yet, but I can surmise it’s because our virtual worlds are much more stimulating than the real world. Ironic isn’t it, that a show that began in 1992 – The Real World – catapulted us into giving up “the real world” around us. TRW took us into the Hollywood version of “real” people and in the process, conditioned us into believing our worlds were boring, lackluster and in need of improvement.
That was a lie. Our lives were fine then, and if you stop to think about it, our lives are fine now. I find that most times when I put my devices away I have a sense of peace, a calm, and I can connect with my husband and family on a human level. The individuals behind social media (social programming if you will) knew what they were doing. They made apps, likes, shares and followers so addicting that putting your device down is HARD. Think about a person hooked on narcotics or alcohol, then think about you; are you ever in the middle of posting something, or reading something on social media and someone asks you to put your device away or down? You get irritated, possibly angry, defensive or start making excuses. See the similarity to a substance abuser? Just sayin’.
So next time someone wants to talk to you. Unhook…put it down, take your eyes away from it and restore your relationship! Any questions? I promise to answer with more than one word.
Blessings to you.
