Death of Eyeball to Eyeball Intimacy in the Techno-Age!

Memoirs of a Geezer!

Reflections and Observations -- A Bright Passage from the Fantasies of Youth 

to Illuminations of Advanced Maturity!

Special Note:  The following is a Guest Post submitted by

the usual author's Lifelong Partner and Beloved Spouse!  

This Episode:    The Apparent Death of Eyeball-to-Eyeball Intimacy in the Techno-Age! 

(Thanks to Joel, my partner geezer in crime, for the use of his blog -- providing me with a forum for my complaint.)

I realize that I too am a geezer.  But I try not to be a technophobe.  I text, use Facebook (though not often, I must admit), help my friend to navigate her digital converter...  I use a smart phone from which I check my e-mail, get directions, send pictures...  You get the idea -- I’m not completely anti-technology.

I know that we have all witnessed four or five individuals having lunch or coffee who are not conversing but have their heads bent over their phones -- texting, playing games, reading books and whatever else they do -- but certainly not talking to one another.

But I recently noticed some things that are driving me nearly mad!  Today, for example, I saw a woman sitting with boy who was maybe six or seven years old at a local coffee shop.  She may have been the mom but more likely, I think, the caregiver.  As they settled in, she immediately began playing video games on her smart phone.  They sat like that for 30 minutes or so, she with eyes on her phone, he (to his credit) playing some sort of game with his fingers.  Video game over...  and she said, "time to go home."

Similarly, in the summer, at the same coffee shop, a mother was sitting with her child sipping coffee and chatting with her friend.  Her child was watching a little bird with great interest, and finally said, “Mommy, mommy, it’s a birdie -- look look a birdie.”  Without missing a beat, she tapped on her smart phone, brought up a child’s video and slid it over to the child.  She never stopped talking to her friend, never looked at the bird and never acknowledged her child.  The child quietly began to play the video game and became oblivious to her surroundings.  How sad.

Pictured above is my favorite
bewildered geezer wondering if his
Flippy Phone is smart!

Today, happy to use technology, I began the process of booking a hotel.  By the time I was almost finished, the price went from $120 to $150.  I showed it to Joel who promptly called the hotel.  He chatted with the reservations agent and after a while, they were both laughing.  When Joel finished the price was $110.  There is no substitute for plain old fashioned verbal  communication.

I guess I’m saying that technology is a good thing, in many respects.  And I’m sure many of us have used the “one-eyed babysitter” on occasion.  But it saddens me when we opt out of genuine people connections if favor of our gadgets

Okay, Okay.  I’m a geezer.  But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Text me and let me know what you think.

Mary

Humbly Submitted 02-11-15 -- for Mary K.