Caller ID. It’s changed the world. Everyone knows who you are. It’s just not fair. Gone are the days you  can prank call those people that annoy you and ask them if their “refrigerator is running.” No more can you answer your sister’s private line in an Australian accent and pretend that the unwitting caller has somehow inadvertently dialed the wrong number. You can’t even call the woman of your dreams anonymously and just listen to her breathe anymore without fear of a restraining order. My goodness. What is this world coming to?!?

I don’t even answer my phone anymore unless I know who is calling. Heck, most of the time I don’t even answer my phone period. In today’s world we rely so much on emails and text messages and status updates, it’s no wonder the rising generation can’t communicate effectively. That’s right. We’re getting stupider. Er…more stupid. Is stupider even a word?!? Oh gosh. It’s happening to me!! Oh wait. I looked it up. The internet says it’s a word, so it must be true. -Whew- Disaster averted. For a moment there I thought I too was also getting more stupider too. Er…

What’s my point again?  (Stay on target!) Ok. My point is, in today’s world we do not communicate effectively. We’ve traded personal and effective for quick and effortless. I’m not sure that’s a good trade. I mean yeah it makes sense in the short term…like when a baseball team trades for that final veteran player when they are “going for it” and want to “win now.” But in those trades they always have to give up some awesome future possible-star 5-tool player in the minor leagues. They trade away the farm system! You’ve traded away the FUTURE man! THE FUTURE!!!

Ok. I don’t think I’m helping my case here. Or maybe I’m just proving it a little too well…

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I’ve decided that I’m going to make the effort to communicate more by voice and in person, rather than via emails and texts. Yeah that takes more work, but I’m tired of having relationships with alphanumerical symbols flashing on one of my many digital screens, in lieu of relationships with actual people. I’m thinking an effort to communicate, and a little reality from time to time would do us all a world of good.