TechNOlogy: Slowly Killing the Art of Conversation

We live in a generation known for its dependence on technology. It seems as if everyone is attached to their phone or laptop by an invisible string. Although I used to believe that the quick and efficient communication provided by technology was beneficial to our skills of conversation, after learning more about rhetoric, it became clear that technology only takes away from our ability to skillfully employ rhetoric in our conversations, both spoken and written.

After reading Chapter 2 in our Rhetoric and Civic Life book, I quickly recalled several instances when I witnessed the extreme dependence of others on technology. When I worked at a restaurant over the summer, I watched many cringe-worthy dates where both parties sat on their phones for a majority of the time, never speaking a word to each other. I also watched moms and dads scroll through their newsfeeds or shoot a quick text as their kids played Angry Birds. And even more recently, I've watched college kids pull out their phones when they feel uncomfortable in new situations in order to appear busy. 

With the increase in virtual communication, there has been an extreme decrease in the emphasis of face-to-face conversation. With the decrease in face-to-face conversation, we have become less attune to the everyday usage of rhetoric. I believe the speed of virtual communication has also affected our use of rhetoric in our written word as well. Because of how quickly we can now send messages to one another, short hand has developed which takes away from the beauty of the English language. We now send things like "lol" to express how we are feeling. 

With that being said, be more aware of how often you use your technology and what face-to-face interactions you could be having during that time. Who knows, maybe if you put away your phone and talk to the stranger next to you, you'll meet your new best friend.