Sam texted me Friday asking if I wanted to get dinner. I agreed, and we planned to meet at 6:00. I hung around the office after work instead of heading home and waiting for 6:00. I arrived at the Green Lantern before Sam and got us a table. I opened the door to enter. A family with a young daughter was living. The daughter had her face glued to a giant iPad and had to be guided out the door.
I was seated by the windows. I ordered us drinks and waited for Sam to arrive. I was playing a game on my fun when I received a text from Gia. We were bantering back and forth when Sam arrived. Sam asked who I was texting. When I told her it was Gia, Sam's face turned to one of disapproval. Sam thinks I should not waste time on Gia. While I agree there is no future in it. I still like Gia; she doesn't distract me from anyone else. Her return is something to look forward to.
I finished up my text conversation with Gia.
Bathwater: Have a good night + (a gif with a digital cat shaking its tail).
Gai: Hahaha, you too. Miss you. (heart)
That alone makes my day. Who doesn't like positive attention from someone you are into.
Sam and I ordered individual pizzas. Behind Sam, two women sit at a table. One had a daughter around ten with them. The daughter had an iPad. The daughter was standing in the space between the tables. She drew my attention as she placed the iPad on the window sill and started making TikTok videos, dancing right behind Sam.
I was appalled. Not only was it inappropriate for the girl to infringe on our meal that way, but a child that age should not be on TikTok. This went on for several minutes. The mother and other woman were oblivious to her.
I felt like saying something loud enough for them to hear. Thankfully, they left soon after, and we enjoyed our meal. The world is going to hell. People are raising screen-addicted, attention-seeking drones who will not be able to function in the world.
The above is truly correct, with the "canned news", the self absorbed youth, teenagers, and half the known population glued to their cell phones, TikTok, and all forms of chat, Not one is holding verbal conversations and Listening to the person they are engaged with or in a group.
ReplyDeleteHow while they work together? Remotely?
DeleteBoth.... Most folks need to put those cell phones down and Listen to the other person... paying attention is key to communicating
DeleteThey do it at school, too. Students will just suddenly pull out their phones and start dancing around. (They're usually finished with their work, though.) I've attempted to explain that that is not the appropriate place to just randomly dance, but they don't see my point.
ReplyDeleteThe need for attention is sickening.
DeleteThe real problem is bad parenting. I see it at the store frequently. Rather than manage a child, parents give them a phone or a tablet to keep them occupied. The little ones will play games or watch videos, the older ones will take selfies, or make little videos. They subscribe to YouTube channels, and TikTok, and Twitch, and... Jees, I could write a book about social media 😎😎😎
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it is bad parenting leading to bad children.
DeleteI hate when people come close to me and start filming in a way I'm in their video. Get out of my space! It's so disrespectful. I know, this makes me about 20 years older than my real age ahahahah
ReplyDeleteI don't go out much so I am not exposed it, but I would not like that either.
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