Can you put your phone down?

I love technology. My phone is my life: my calendar, contacts, pictures, schedule, notes. It helps me be more efficient with my time, plan, and be more responsible. Yet, technology poses problems to society. Firstly, technology is addicting. Waiting on that next text message, keeping up with the Snap streak or even when you don't know what to do next without your calendar. This addictiveness or "can't put my phone down" syndrome can be an issue with communication. Communication can be improved with methods such as video messaging, long distance calling, and instant messaging but then it is a problem when we return to the original face-to-face method.

We have all been in that situation where you are trying to have a lovely chat with a friend, family member, or classmate where the dialogue keeps getting interrupted by a chime from a phone. Or maybe there is no chime and the individual is just very fascinated by the latest meme found. I know I've been the receiver in this situation and also the sender. This makes communication difficult and very frustrating.

Now think about that situation but instead of with a friend, the dialogue is between you and your mother. It's the morning after you broke curfew. Your mother is trying to discipline and speak to you, but you find Facebook news feed way more interesting. How stressful is this moment to your mother? How easy is it to tune out conversation you are disinterested in? And of course, when we were young'ins we did not get phones really until high school. Now, elementary school children have some time of phone or iPod. Can you imagine being a parent and going through this?

One more scenario: a conversation between a newlywed couple. The first joint credit card bill arrives and the dreaded conversation begins over the necessity of new heeled, leather booties and a brand new hunting rifle. We all know one of the most common issues prompting fights is finances. However, another is bad communication. If this either spouse is even slightly distracted by a cell phone, how is a good conversation going to happen? These two problems go hand and hand. You can't discuss finances without good communication, but you also can't achieve agreement in financial decision without communicating. Communication is necessary either way you look at the situation.

Communication is a necessary, vital, essential piece of everyday life. It is needed even more in a relationship. Technology has helped increase the amount of methods of communication- even make some methods better than others- but has also caused distress on communication. What can we do to make technology and communication work well? Both are good things for society and both can help each other if we only use them effectively and smartly.