Are you Connecting?

IS THE SMART PHONE REALLY SO SMART THAT WE ALLOW IT TO PRIORITIZE WHO IS MOST DESERVING OF OUR ATTENTION?

- By Linda Commito

Have you seen the television commercial where a man is interviewing kids and asks them, “Is it better to do two things at once or one?” Kids answer with a resounding, “Two!” This cell phone provider would have you believe that surfing and talking are better than doing just one at a time. But is that true?

When others are more concerned with grabbing their ringing cell phone than finishing their conversation with you, or they leave you hanging in midsentence to see who just texted them, it’s hard to feel valued. How about when you’re talking to someone on the phone and you know they’re surfing the Internet at the same time? Are you as apt to have a meaningful conversation when you’re aware that another distraction could disrupt it at any moment? Is the smartphone really so smart that we allow it to prioritize who is most deserving of our attention?