I’ve been thinking a lot recently about in-person conversations. A few weeks ago, I was at dinner with some friends and, with the exception of two of us, everyone was on their phones the entire time. Don’t get me wrong: I love technology as much as the next person and I love to check-in on Foursquare and tweet photos while I’m out. But we’ve gotten to the point that it’s socially acceptable to tweet, text, email, and even get up from the table to take a phone call. And this doesn’t happen just at dinner. It happens during the workday, too. In one-on-one meetings, in staff meetings, and in client meetings.

We are losing the ability to speak to one another as human beings. And it is extremely disrespectful. (more…)