Celling your soul

We’re an enslaved generation. It has been a subtle takeover, in the same manner that all “benevolent” dictators come to power. First they introduce something that nobody else has offered before, and then, as they gain support, they slowly steal their subjects’ freedom by crippling people’s ability to think for themselves. My friends, we are enslaved to our phones.

We have all seen the person with the determined eyes of Jason Bourne, on a mission to find or replace his or her broken or lost phone. If this operating state of 400 percent efficiency could be maintained after people replace their phones, then perhaps Perkins would be emptier in the wee hours of the morning. We are so attached to our phones and their applications that we forget how they also disable us. We must have full battery before going on a trip because (heaven forbid) if the GPS app is unavailable, we probably wouldn’t even have access to a paper map (let alone the ability to read one). But the most ironic curse of our phones is their negative effect on our communication abilities.

Think about how many times you have been in a group of people, and, rather than talking, everyone in the group is either fondling their keypad with their fingers or having a staring contest with their screen. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 70 percent of young adults use their phones for entertainment when they are bored. This same study showed that 30 percent of young adults admit to using them to avoid interacting with the people around them. How many times have you seen these tactics used at dinner? How scary is it that the mere threat of a lull in conversation causes people to start fiddling with their cell? We cannot seem to generate enough topics to discuss over a 30-minute meal without checking Facebook. There is probably no way the events of my day could compare with Justin Bieber’s latest tweet, but are you bored with me, or do you just not care?

Maybe we all like the comfort of being able to avoid conversation by seeking refuge in our gadgets, but we have to give up something in return. Our generation has lost the valuable skill of being able to talk to anyone or carry out a thoughtful exchange of ideas and stories. Texting has enabled us to organize group events more efficiently, but it has also created more logistical failures in the process. With texting we can tell multiple people to meet at one place at a certain time, but it also means we can get a last minute cancellation via text that can disrupt our plans. Texting allows us to abandon commitments more easily and without the potential guilt of letting others down.

The one aspect of communication that our “smart” phones have disrupted more than anything else is our communication in romantic engagements. Text messaging can be a game to some and to others a code that needs to be deciphered (even more so in the case of sexting). However you see it, the rules have now changed.

Sometimes I will ask friends how things are going with their romantic engagements, and they will reply, “Well I don’t know exactly, but we’ve been talking.” I say, “Oh so you’ve been seeing a lot of each other?” But the response is often, “No, but we’ve been texting a lot.” Let’s get one thing straight: Texting does not equal talking, in the same manner that a picture of food will not suffice for a meal. People will say things via text messages that are completely unnatural, things they would never say in person. One person’s message that is meant to convey one thing can be interpreted completely differently by the recipient. When we make the mistake of thinking that texting can replace face-to-face conversation, the amount of miscommunication skyrockets. Just because she writes “Haha” does not mean she thinks you are hilarious. If someone asks why you had a bad day, it does not mean that you ought to spend 10 minutes texting him or her every tiny detail.

There are many things that are lost when words come from a screen that no amount of LOLs and emoticons can make up for. Does that person actually wink at you in person? There are some intricacies of conversation that a text cannot display. The difference between a genuine laugh and a polite chuckle is something that must be seen. The same way a blush or dodging of the eyes is not hidden. When you talk with someone face-to-face there is no question of whether they are focused solely on you or not. Who is to know how many other people they are texting with the same enthusiasm? If you want to get to know somebody, keep your phone in your pocket and talk to her. If you must talk to her and seeing her is not an option, then you could even use your phone for its original primary function, and call her. So before our phones completely take over, let’s bring back the art of conversation. As a matter of fact, I think they have an app for that.

Caleb Duncanson is a Pratt senior. His column runs every other Friday. Follow Caleb on Twitter @CMDuncanson