NEW AGE COMMUNICATION OR A LACK OF IT

I was at a restaurant recently and while waiting for my plate of grilled fish to arrive, I decided to look around at the other customers who were also waiting for their meals. A 40-something couple sat at table A, a 30-something couple with a child sat at table B, a group of 20- something at table C and a courting couple sat at table D. The 40-something couple whom I suspected must be husband and wife had their drinks served. They were both sipping their drinks and reading something off their smart phones. At table B, the 30-something husband was busy talking on his smart phone while his wife tended to the fidgety child. At table C, every one had a laptop or iPad and was very busy with it. Then at table D, the courting couple was actually looking into each other’s eyes and talking and laughing. When my grilled fish finally arrived, I merrily tucked in and forgot about the other customers around me. Then before I got up to leave the restaurant, I decided to take one last look at my neighbours once again. The couple at table A was eating and still reading something off the smart phones. At table B, the husband was still busy talking on his smart phone and eating his fried squids but his wife was carrying the child and walking up and down the restaurant probably to calm him down. At table C, everyone was eating and reading from the laptop or iPad. Multi tasking I presume. Then at table D, the courting couple was eating and feeding each other as they had ordered different types of food and probably wanted to taste the great variety served. I enjoyed my fish thoroughly but I was utterly shocked at how new age communication or the lack of it had evolved so far that it had become the norm. Except for table D, what happened to real life communication over a good meal? Everyone was actually bodily present but the mind, heart and soul were in cyber space.

Having said that, it reminds me that some people prefer to collect as many face book friends as possible rather than meeting and making friends with real humans in bodily form. I also know people who actually quarrel with cyber pals in forums or engage in cyber extramarital affairs. I remember the days before the internet became an integral part of our lives. We actually had friends, preferred outdoor activities, phoned and visited each other. I am sure many still do that now but with the endless stream of computer games and other techno gizmos, it gets harder to leave the familiar couch especially now when it is winter. When the days are short and the nights are long, to actually make up your mind to go out in the cold is a battle in itself.

I have just come back from an evening lecture on local history. When someone takes the trouble to remind you of the lecture and makes the effort to walk with you to the venue, you can feel the difference. As you walk, with the wind blowing in your faces and hands snugly tucked in the pockets, you can share the excitement of going for the lecture. Then as the lecture ends, again with the wind blowing in your faces but this time with hands waving in animated fashion, you can stand united and criticise the presentation by assuming an unfounded authority of the subject matter. That is when you are glad that you have real friends and family who are there with you in totality- with no iPAD in between.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/new-age-communication-or-a-lack-of-it-1.179680?cache=03D163D03edding-pred-1.1176%2F%3FpFpentwage63Dp%3A%2Fhe3D03Dn63Frea-rti3D19.3D163D03edding-pred-1.1176%2F%3FpFpentwage63Dp%3A%2Fhe3D03Dn63Frea-rti3D19.111w5ii%2Fed-1.1176%2F%2F2.2525%2F2.2525%2F1.331200%3Fcache%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%3Fkey%3DMalaysia%3Fpage%3D0