is verbal communication on the decline?

[PokerStar]

Just something Ive been noticing lately.

I took a date out to grab some food. We sat down started off with a few drinks and I happen to look over to the table beside me. There was this married couple with 2 kids sitting there. The kids were playing with their food and I noticed that both the wife and husband were sitting playing on the Iphones. Like each of them had their Iphone and sat there played with it for at least 30 minutes.

What a shame. They didnt tell their kids to finish their meal. They didnt talk once to eachother.

A buddy of mine and his wife came my place yesterday just to hang out and watch the game. not even 10 minutes in the game they both were on the Iphones searching the internet, text messaging, and facebooking.

Like c'mon!

Is this what future has in store for us?

From now on when I go out on dates Im going to make sure she doesnt spend over 2 minutes on her phone. not a good way to start or carry on a relationship if there is no communication or both parties are more into their phones than each other.

 

[Deep Dish]

I'm skeptical of the decline, because it is a function of personality. These are the same people who, if this was the 1980's or 1700's, would not be talking to each other. Only now it's easier to spot them.

 

[PokerStar]

function of personality?

I dont get what you mean.

So what you are saying that these couples would normally not talk to eachother?

 

[Deep Dish]

Yes.

Your personality includes how you deal with life and its conditions. These people's relationships and marriages would have decayed anyway, through social dynamics, and the use of smart phones is symptomatic to the decay, but not the cause.

Human civilization has been evolving for millennia and changes have always been seen as opening up the gates to hell. When the telephone was invented, the prevalent fear was people would stop leaving their homes to socialize. Yet here we are today. To quote from the late author Douglas Adams,

1) Everything that’s already in the world when you’re born is just normal; 2) Anything that gets invented between then and before you turn thirty is incredibly exciting and creative and with any luck you can make a career out of it; 3) Anything that gets invented after you’re thirty is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it until it’s been around for about ten years when it gradually turns out to be alright really.

We are social animals and that will never change.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Technology is the future of communication.

Just wait until they have an I-Phone that will read your mind, write out the thought, and text it to whoever you like. With enough time on something like that, humans could literally lose the ability to communicate verbally.

 

[Mike32ct]

I know parents that text their kids to tell them dinner is ready.

It's F-ed up lol.

 

[iwanttofight]

dont cell phones cause brain cancer?

 

[wait_out]

http://connectedthefilm.com/the-film/filmmakers/

Texting triggers neurochemicals in your brain (short unsatisfying chunks of information that are stimulating and addictive). That link has a trailer that talks about a "dopamine loop" for people who get addicted to texting.

It's ironic though -- this forum itself is basically a replacement for a neighborhood bar, which I'd say are declining in most places. We're guilty too. Going out is an EVENT to a lot of people, not daily routine. Plus, it's harder to engage people on headphones or gaming or texting on their smartphones. If you ever vacation beyond the reach of modern communications, it's different world.

In the end, I don't see humans as fundamentally much different than rats in psychology tests, who when give the chance will press levers to coke themselves until they die. Addiction is an old problem -- technology addiction is just another expression of it.

 

[Ninja Dude]

is verbal communication on the decline?

lol, wut?

 

[user43770]

In the end, I don't see humans as fundamentally much different than rats in psychology tests, who when give the chance will press levers to coke themselves until they die. Addiction is an old problem -- technology addiction is just another expression of it.

The rats don't know they're killing themselves.

 

[Duracell_Bunny]

Yup, and we are getting more lazy.

Personally I do feel that stupid phones have a negative effect on a relationship (friend, family or women). I have banned my g/f from taking our mobile phones into the bedroom - just me and her with no distractions.

There is nothing better than going for a pint with a good friend of mine and chatting about some random banter.

I work with computers and websites all day, the last thing I want to do when I go home is boot up my PC to see the useless information friends post on Facefvck. Sounds a little strange, but texting/emailing is like a conversation with a different person - serious and emotional things are discussed that then feel awkward if spoken verbally.

For business I prefer non-verbal. Sorting out issues is far better by email or a ticketing system as there is something to refer back to - no excuses for getting it wrong!

If I have any complaints I ALWAYS do it in writing and keep copies of every response.

So yeah, verbal communication is on the decline and it pi$$es me off. You mean, a bunch of strangers waiting for a bus will not speak a word and are lost in their phones, while at the gym sauna these strangers are chatting to each other making new acquaintances.