Technology or Human Interaction; That Is The Question

Recently my friend and I were walking down the street on our way to a parking garage when we noticed 3 men walking straight for us. As we continued on it became apparent we would have to get off the sidewalk and out of the men's way, as they passed my friend commented, "get out of the way of the gentlemen." This is simple little courtesy that I know some would argue the women's movement has largely affected. Yet the trend I am noticing is a far more disturbing movement toward the simple minded individual.

All to often I am noticing that the acts of common decency are far and few between. We have begun to live our technological lives in a bubble and so often never lift up our heads from the text keypad to notice what is right in front of us. We have reached a point where communication through a small rectangular box is our interaction with our fellow man and maybe this is our problem.

No longer do we look each other in the eye when we speak, as if we are ashamed of what we are about to say. What makes matters worse is that when we do utter some form of human interaction it is just a feeble attempt to be human. It seems that the days of saying please and thank you are a fleeting memory and "may I help you," well heaven forbid us if we ask that question.

I find it hard to believe we have forgotten how to interact or to be human with each other. Common decencies like please, thank you, yes sir, no sir, and may I help you, are just a small sampling of little things we should not forget or forgo. Something as simple as just being kind to each other would go along way.

Should you see someone behind you don't let the door shut in his or her face, hold it open and if you are the person the door is being held for, say "thank you." This is human interaction and we should practice it as often as we are able. This is not an action or interaction we can say, "Oh, I'll do that next time," There is no next time, now is all you have.

We should seek out actions that require us to show how decent we are and can be. We should never be to busy or in such a rush that we cannot extend a decent hand or kind word. You never know how that act or word will come back to you but it does come back to you. It is your choice as to whether it comes back as a positive or as a negative.