Is 2010 the year we stopped talking to each other?

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(Newser) – In the seemingly unending onslaught of “best” and “worst” of 2010 stories, a declaration that’s a mix. Writing for USA Today, Sharon Jayson dubs 2010 “the Year We Stopped Talking to One Another.” The upside: We’re Facebook BFFs with Kimmy from high school. The downside: We check email on dates. Writes Jayson, “Our days are filled with beeps and pings—many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions are too much, but we can’t seem to stop posting, texting or surfing.” And experts say it’s time to give our behavior a cold, hard look.

Considering that 93% of us have cellphones or wireless devices, and are literally sending trillions of text messages a year, we’re now “truly experiencing this kind of critical mass,” says one communication studies professor. The result? When we’re literally standing next to someone, we can no longer assume we have their full attention. And the result of that? Who knows. “We don’t know the net consequence of reducing the quality of the relationship a little bit with the person you’re with while improving or maintaining it with the person you’re electronically tied to,” explains one social psychologist.

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Professor Mike

Professor Mike is a left-leaning, dog loving, political junkie. He has written dozens of articles for Substack, Medium, Simily, and Tribel. Professor Mike has been published at Smerconish.com, among others. He is a strong proponent of the environment, and a passionate protector of animals. In addition he is a fierce anti-Trumper. Take a moment and share his work.
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Stella by Starlight
13 years ago

Talking? Oh, uh, wait a minute… sorry, I’ve got to go. Got a call on my cell…

lazersedge
13 years ago

Mike as you well know from your days doing interviews and interrogations 93% of all communications face to face is non verbal. So if your source is correct that means that now 93% of the former 7% is now completed with devices so now we are communicating less than .05% of the time verbally face to face. At least that deals with the problem of halitosis.

Jess
13 years ago

I don’t know how old these kids are, you oldsters are talking about :). I know, I don’t do the Twittering, booking of faces, anything other than just visiting blogs but not when I’m out anywhere. If I go out, my phone stays in the car, if someone needs to get hold of me, they can leave a message and I’ll get back to them.

Now my youngest cousin, just got his phone taken from him over the holidays, because he was stupid and sat at the table with his parents, texting and being on Facebook. He’ll get it back January 1st with restrictions apparently. Dumbass, I keep telling him don’t do it when they are sitting right there, that is the height of rudeness, even if it is just your parents.

13 years ago

It’s true. So many are not aware of what’s going on around them because their eyes are focused down. A friend who pays for her granddaughter’s phone had like 7000 texts. I said don’t you think she should be studying with some of that time. My friend said that’s what kids do these days. I say other.

13 years ago

I think it is a very good point, that we point that we have so many devices for communication in action all at once, that no one has our full attention, even when standing next to us.

I would say more, but frankly, my phone just beeped and I have to figure out what that’s all about.

13 years ago

At least we oldsters should remember the art of conversation. But the kids….they can sit next to each other and text rather than talk. I hope I’m over-generalizing here. But it’s amazing how many walk around plugged into their own little world rather than interact with the large one in front of them.

lazersedge
Reply to  mbarnato
13 years ago

Very mb. I watched couple of kids in McD’s the other day literally sitting across from one another with their iPods sticking in their ears and texting each other. The weird part is they can carry on a conversation almost as fast as they can talk speaking a language only they can understand.

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