“First requirement for this exercise is to disconnect from your phone”
By Dennis Shutt, Wellsville NY
Many of us can remember out parents telling us (over and over) how much easier we have it then when we were kids. You know the stories. Like walking five miles to school, uphill both ways and no shoes.
We all are aware that these type of stories have been exaggerated over time, but the ‘easier’ part has been constant for generations. Will our future continue this long standing tradition or will our lack of personal contact and communication change life as we have known it.
If you think I am ‘losing’ it, why don’t you sit down and talk to our future. No I do not mean AI. I mean our youth. Doesn’t have to your children, could be anyone, of any age, as long as they were born a generation before you.
First requirement for this exercise is to disconnect from your phone. Yep, Read it again. I am positive most of your are thinking I must be insane. That is open for debate.
Once you recall how to communicate without electronic devices, make sure that when you find someone in the next generation you talk TO them, not AT them. This will make an enormous difference in the results.
When the conversing begins, try to find a topic that your talking partner is interested in. Usually can tell by a small twinkle in the eye or a small upturn in the corner of their mouth. Possibly, the decibel level of their voice will go up a little. Bet you cannot do any of these in a text.
For me the hardest part is trying to decipher their words, through their eyes. You know, their point of view, not yours.
Mostly, I have found many of my interactions, to be on the negative side. Common phrases such as: does it really matter, worthless, useless, feeling of defeat and no one cares, are often spoken. Rarely, have I found the small smile or just a positive outlook.
Where does all this negativity come from? One of our main objectives was to make things easier. We did our job, didn’t we?
After reading all this, I am sure you all want to do is check your phones. Something urgent has to be happening. Just got to check it.
Something urgent has been happening. We cannot communicate with each other and be able to feel true compassion, without an emoji being connected. We are missing so much.
I personally believe that our future is worth all the effort we need to use. The next generation and especially our children, are our future and do we really know them? What are they thinking about? Can we be a positive influence? Is it really that dark and how much have we caused by constantly blaming others?
Possibly, if each of us start taking responsibility, give respect and have a strong resolve for each other, we truly could make lives, truly, EASIER. For sure, better
