The other day I met up with someone for a coffee and chat. After a while, I went to get us some water and whilst I waited at the counter turned back to my companion. It had taken me only a few seconds to get from my seat to the counter, yet when I looked back they had already whipped out their blackberry and started reading.
My hopes were dashed that my companion would be thinking about our conversation. Were they pondering the eloquence and insight I had offered (or even, more likely, their own!)? No. In what is becoming a growing trend in society, they took the opportunity of a break, to consult a device which connects them with everyone else.
When I returned to the table I commented on this and shared the experience of being out with a group of friends for dinner. We have both been in the position where the person opposite is clearly looking at their device as we, or even they talk. Amazingly, holding said device just below the level of the table renders it completely invisible. Or so it seems some people believe.
I know we are all busy people but it does seem that we are becoming more insecure. We seem to need continuous validation that we are in touch – that we haven’t missed anything. What happened to our ability to dwell, to think deep thoughts, to be measured, considered and confident about what we were contributing to the conversation?
One of the ironies of being so connected and so available is that we seem to be more distracted, more unfocused and more oblivious of people right in front of us. Of course the conversation with my companion should probably have been tweeted in real time …
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