Being able to communicate face-to-face is a lost art we will never get back.
Technology has become both a blessing and a curse to society. It has allowed humanity the chance to grow and accomplish some of the greatest feats of all time: walking on the moon, long-distance phone calls around the globe and many more. Yet, in this great advancement, people continue to draw further and further apart.
From what history tells us, technology is ever-growing and ever-changing. Companies are constantly seeking to improve their products so they can be sold to the public in a rapid fashion. All people want are the newest and brightest models available
Technology, for the most part, has made life easier. In fact, it has made life too easy and society lazy.
In all honesty, when was the last time you had a legitimate conversation in a face-to-face manner? Was it this morning over breakfast? Was it last week following your biology class? These occurrences are not happening enough. Society is literally wrapped around technology’s finger and no one seems to care.
Face-to-face conversations enable humans to have the purest of interactions. We not only hear the words exchanged, but are able to understand the inflection put on each word and the overall meaning.
Face-to-face conversations allow us to perceive non-verbal communication used in conversation. According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of Silent Messages, 93 percent of our communication is nonverbal with 55 percent being body language and 38 percent being tone of voice. Think of how much we are missing out on when we constantly text, snapchat or instant message.
True relationships that last ultimately are built upon the ability to converse with other people vocally while in their presence. I know relationships can be developed online, but in order for those to last, there is a need to have sustenance behind those relationships and I believe you only gain that through interacting with others in person.
The real world demands for individuals to communicate face to face. Unfortunately, I feel there is a good chunk of millennials that doesn’t have these skills mastered and it will hurt them down the road in their relationships and careers.
As each generation comes along, I’m afraid our inability to communicate face-to-face will only get worse due to the dependency humans have on technology. I am a part of this just like the rest of you. When was the last time you went without your cellphone for a day? Could you manage such a task or are you suffering from nomophobia, which is the fear of not having your phone?
Whatever the case may be, there is a solution. Talk. Don’t allow yourself to get sucked into this virtual world. Never forget there are living and breathing people all around you that have voice boxes too. You will find that your conversations and life will be more fulfilling as you substitute in-person conversations for the emojis that litter your screen.
