Is Technology Ruining Communication Skills?

 

     Technology is constantly changing and improving. New, faster, simpler ways of communicating are becoming available all the time. This seems like a good thing right?
     Advances in technology have many pros and cons.  Although the biggest problem is that it's effecting people's communication skills.
     I can't even count the number of times when I've seen a group of friends together and all of them are on their phones or on some sort of tech device.  I know my friends and I are guilty of this.  What's the point of being with friends if you are too busy texting someone else or on one of the numerous social media sites?
     One of the main reasons people love texting or instant messaging so much is because they don't have to talk to someone face to face. It gives them time to think of a response.  This affects their communication skills because when they are having a real conversation with someone who is right in front of them, they freeze up and don't know how to respond.
     When I was a kid, I would spend hours outside with my friends and neighbor kids.  We would invent games and stay out all day, eventually our parents would have to tell us to come in.  But, nowadays it seems like parents have to force their kids to play outside, because all they want to do is sit on the computer or play video games.  They think why should I go outside to hang out with friends when I can talk to them right from the computer or through texting?    
     Cell phone usage has gotten so bad that some people make a rule when going out to dinner with a group of friends.  The rule is that everyone must place their phones in a pile face down, and the first person to touch their phone pays for the entire bill, as seen in the picture to the right.  This forces the group to talk to each other or risk paying for the group.