Millennials were initiated to cell phones at a very young age. Their communication process is therefore in a grey zone, difficult to analyze and understand.
Growing up, people develop their capacities to communicate with each other, through the multiple instances of socialization (school, peers, parents…). But the models of communication have changed throughout time with the evolution of technology. From letters to text messages and calls, the speed and the quality of the exchanges have increased dramatically, enabling conversations from any place of the world, almost instantly. How great does that sound?
That old man in the park sitting on the bench ever Thursday afternoon might have a point saying these young people don’t know how to communicate properly anymore. Indeed, on a daily basis, two people can really talk non-stop while going through their respective day. Of course, the physical encounter is still an important part of social life, but some discussions that would have come up in a face to face conversation now can come up while using a medium of conversation. In a perfect world that shouldn’t be a problem, and could even potentially be a good thing. Unfortunately, this world is highly imperfect, and the problem that talking through a call, a text conversation or else poses is the eventual risk of not acting like the person on the other hand of the conversation is not a human being. Indeed, like trolls on Facebook, it is paradoxically easier to talk without thinking the words through on a phone. For example, no one would walk to their ex’s house at 3 a.m. after a party to say “what’s up” (or more elaborate and shameful sentences), a text though is, unfortunately, an easy option.
We learn death, we break up, get involved emotionally, … all this on an electronic device, and it can feel senseless sometimes. This generation has been given those tools without any perspectives and safety wire, therefore and in a nutshell, they have no idea what is happening to them whatsoever.
My humble opinion would be to put the phone away if that conversation comes up because face to face conversations have been proven to work out, better at least.
