“I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction”

I met her over coffee and we spoke about how busy we all had become. Busy with work? Nah, not really. The paucity of time snaked its head from conversations punctuated between texting, responding to an email and the ring of the mobile.
I tried hard not to peek into my own phone and deliberately kept it on silent keeping it face down so the light doesn’t even tempt me to peek at it.

Well, the mobile phone seems to have pervaded our private tete-a-tete, our ‘long-time-no-see’ meet-ups, our family dinners and weekend get-togethers.
If this wasn’t enough, it’s wormed its way into the bedroom.

Couples meeting me for a coaching session seem to have one common ‘issue’ – fewer conversations, staccato, monosyllabic dialogues and sadly, barely enough time for conjugal bliss.
One of the two partners is either tapping away a response to an ‘important’ email message or scrolling through FB, Twitter, Instagram and the like, or whatsapping or uploading pics. Dinners have the two partners having conversations with their phone – discussing pics, sharing a message or taking food images. Before you know it, the evening has ended and they’re back in their room, looking at the phone/tab once again.

I had one Advertising Agency CEO complain about how the CEO of a multinational brand was constantly texting while his team was making a strategy presentation, for which they spent hours of hours not to mention thousands of rupees!
Is there time for anyone else or anything else? To be attentive and in the present? In the here and now? 

If they have children, the kids are doing the same. I had one young girl of 18, get irritated because I ‘called’ her instead of texting. She said she preferred that I message!!

For a person who was labelled a no-can-do and mediocre by his schoolteacher, he surprised all by being one of the most celebrated physicists of all time. What’s even awe-inspiring is his prophecy of the future in this quote:
“I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction – Einstein

Are you similar to the couple above? Or do you have time and space for a conversation? What do you do differently? I’d love to hear your views.
Wish you an amazing week of personal conversations with undivided attention!