Families are so disconnected anymore...

[The Big Red One]

It's a new addiction of sorts. I didn't grow up connected and I appreciated that, especially now, seeing how most folks are zombied out using there device. I'm required to have a smart phone for work. However annoying that is, I don't play games with it, I don't connect to FB with it, etc....just work e-mail and answering the phone. I see the exact things you are mentioning and it is actually sad to watch!

Yep folks are using all the modern tech to live in an alternate reality versus the real one. I have a smartphone, it has its purposes and comes in handy for them, but I've never
downloaded a single app for it, never played a game on it, never use more than 4 megs of my 200mb data plan in a month, and would turn off the 3g service completely if AT&T would let me I do like the wifi for hotel stays tho, and some of the other features. And I have to admit the 3G has come in handy on occasion The pc is my only electronic distraction, otherwise I'm always interacting with the folks around me 100%

 

[mabupa]

I took my boys to the orthodontist yesterday, and the waiting room was full of younger kids, teens and parents. The kids walk in with their phones in hand, looking down at 'em of course, not paying attention to anything else. One teen girl had her cell phone so close to her face, I wondered how in the world she could even see it clearly. There was one Dad sitting in there, only looked up from his smart phone to fuss at his daughter when she dropped her cell and to tell her to "pay attention" as her name was called to head back; she was completely enthralled in some gaming kiosk - I thought of how ironic his statement was given just how disconnected he seemed; only thing that jostled him was her cell hitting the ground

I just sat there, waiting for my kids appts to be over, discreetly people watching. No one talks, interacts, nothing...my oldest son came out first and saw the kiosk was available, so off he went to game My youngest came out and sat next to me and we actually spoke to one another; asked him about his appt, etc...

I can't stand how connected everyone is to others not with them; it's a complete disconnect from the life right in front of you - families completely ignoring one another to chat with everyone else but the group that they're with... It is likely one of the top pet peeves of mine anymore.

I'll continue to NOT buy my boys cell phones I'd much rather sit and talk to them, but even that is a chore at times with distractions they have like their Kindle Fires, Nintendo DS and gaming kiosks ???

Moral Decay I tell ya...that commercial where the daughter is talking about how she's worried about her parents withdrawing from life, that she's pushed them to be on Facebook to get connected, and as the daughter is looking at some photo of a puppy and says "This is living"...THAT commercial rings so true with how society views "living life" anymore. It's passing so many by...

I'm just watching tv and reading this and BAMM!! That commercial you are talking about from Toyota!! :-)

 

[VaBusa]

I lived up to my plan last night...dinner, we all sat around the table and ate together, no TV, no distractions. My oldest tried the old "dine and dash" thing he does because YouTube awaits, but I told him we were going to sit tight until everyone was done...we had some laughs, then I made 'em clean up the dishes

This is working out great!

 

[VaBusa]

and the whole time you were probably on the org on your phone

Nope...rarely get on the oRg from my phone anymore...

 

[Chris79761TX]

, kinda like the waltons
The Walton's all died.
John Boy was off at college partying and getting drunk. the mountain was set on fire by republicans to suppress minority voting, No one could call for help because they didn't have service on their cell phones.And they couldn't get off the mountain because their old truck couldn't pass emissions so it was unregistered and no insurance. Life was not all great on the mountain

 

[Chris79761TX]

My daughters used to sit on the couch and text each other instead of talking. Or I could be outside and instead of coming out the door to talk to me they would text me. I agree people and especially family's are becoming more and more disconnected

 

[VaBusa]

My daughters used to sit on the couch and text each other instead of talking. Or I could be outside and instead of coming out the door to talk to me they would text me. I agree people and especially family's are becoming more and more disconnected

Omar's twin daughters do the same thing...it drives me nuts

 

[m_ridgeway]

i have to agree with most everything said here, my son wont even have the possibility of owning a phone till hes 16. hes 7 now and in the minority of kids being that he doesnt have a phone or drag his ds, ipods, and whatever else everywhere, hell i wont even buy him an ipod. hes 7, doesnt need portable media he does have a nice tv, blu ray player, direct tv, ds, wii, but we monitor his usage and with him being an only child we have friends with kids the same age and take him over there to get some interaction as well as him going to daycare and public school. i see so many kids now that just plain cant function without someone holding their hand it makes my head want to explode. this is the workforce of the future. babies guiding babies

my wifes little brother is so addicted to social media and texting he locks up like a drum when you try to talk to him about anything much less confront him on his nonsense. it seems cell phones have become the new sheltering device to keep people oblivious to the real world.

 

[The Big Red One]

My daughters used to sit on the couch and text each other instead of talking. Or I could be outside and instead of coming out the door to talk to me they would text me. I agree people and especially family's are becoming more and more disconnected

You're kidding right? No insult intended but that sounds unbelieveable