What’s the one thing you hate most when you are speaking, whether it’s in front of a group, or just talking to your friend over coffee? That’s right, when they or your friend is not listening, right? Your friend may be texting another friend, and you’d think, “I thought this was supposed to be our time”. Or you can be speaking in front of a class or a group, and they would all be talking to each other – it’s downright annoying!
Unfortunately, with the onset of social networking, we are all guilty with this misdeed. How many times have you turned off your smartphones during dinner, or put it on silent mode (not vibration) just so you can devote your undivided attention to your companion? That’s right, virtually never. Tell me if this is not a usual scenario: you arrive at the restaurant, pull out your smartphone to update your Facebook status on where you checked in. Then you tweet just how good the appetizer was, how handsome your date is, and how wonderful the night has been.
You may feel fulfilled, but be rest assured that your companion did not feel as excited about it as you. Who would be excited when the person he is with keeps on “talking” to other people who are not even in the restaurant? That must be pretty annoying. So the next time you pull out that smartphone or other handheld device, ask yourself this: is updating your digital status more important than actually experiencing the experience?
Although, I overlooked the hints he gave me earlier regarding this movement, it dawned clearly on me when he spilled it out the way it is when we hanged out in a regular nightspot taking drinks and envisaging how our future would be together. When I saw that his assertion on this issue was firmer than I have ever witnessed, I could not control my emotions – I started crying. 
