Mobile phones – I am with you but I am not really there
Mobile phones are a must nowadays – nearly everyone, at least in the city has one. And they are ringing constantly, and well, one is very often invited to listen to someone else’s personal problems – but this might be a different entry altogether.
But if you look around you will see the following situations: Two friends or acquaintances sitting somewhere and the phone rings. He or she looks at the phone to find out who calls or sends a message. This is followed by a mumbled apology to pick up the phone, read the message – smiles – and responds to it. The other person, if not occupied themselves with responding their own message, would just sit there and stares blankly.
You can think about a lot of different situations – people at the hairdresser – they earlier acknowledged the hairdresser, talked to them, exchanged news from the ‘hood – this is gone. The hairdresser becomes invisible, a doer – no need to talk to anymore.
In a meeting – one person suddenly jumps up and runs out – ignoring the speaker, presenter or whatever. The one who has prepared something (hopefully), which was suppose to be addressed to all in the room. Imagine the feeling, when the decision-maker goes away – excuse me, I gotta take this call. You feel, small, not important, ignored, wasted your time.
Worse – a policeman gives you a ticket – and you answer the phone. So much for lack of respect, and interaction.
Subsequently, there is a loss of communication – we can talk with people away, but we are not with those immediately around us. Our thinking, our interaction is disturbed – image a great brainstorming session, and one just links out. A friend tells you your problem, and when your phone is ringing, you are not there anymore, but somewhere else.
While mobile phones allow us to be reachable anywhere anytime, they also develop into a system that disturbs the immediate interaction between different parties, the face-to-face interchanges, and the direct bonding between different people. So the next time you meet someone, switch off your phone. Can you do this? Be REALLY REALLY with the other person. Concentrated and focused with attention to detail and great contributions. Can do?
Mobile phones are a must nowadays – nearly everyone, at least in the city has one. And they are ringing constantly, and well, one is very often invited to listen to someone else’s personal problems – but this might be a different entry altogether.
But if you look around you will see the following situations: Two friends or acquaintances sitting somewhere and the phone rings. He or she looks at the phone to find out who calls or sends a message. This is followed by a mumbled apology to pick up the phone, read the message – smiles – and responds to it. The other person, if not occupied themselves with responding their own message, would just sit there and stares blankly.
You can think about a lot of different situations – people at the hairdresser – they earlier acknowledged the hairdresser, talked to them, exchanged news from the ‘hood – this is gone. The hairdresser becomes invisible, a doer – no need to talk to anymore.
In a meeting – one person suddenly jumps up and runs out – ignoring the speaker, presenter or whatever. The one who has prepared something (hopefully), which was suppose to be addressed to all in the room. Imagine the feeling, when the decision-maker goes away – excuse me, I gotta take this call. You feel, small, not important, ignored, wasted your time.
Worse – a policeman gives you a ticket – and you answer the phone. So much for lack of respect, and interaction.
Subsequently, there is a loss of communication – we can talk with people away, but we are not with those immediately around us. Our thinking, our interaction is disturbed – image a great brainstorming session, and one just links out. A friend tells you your problem, and when your phone is ringing, you are not there anymore, but somewhere else.
While mobile phones allow us to be reachable anywhere anytime, they also develop into a system that disturbs the immediate interaction between different parties, the face-to-face interchanges, and the direct bonding between different people. So the next time you meet someone, switch off your phone. Can you do this? Be REALLY REALLY with the other person. Concentrated and focused with attention to detail and great contributions. Can do?
posted by Andreas @ 12:05 pm
<< Home