Have you ever found yourself in a conversation where you’re just talking at someone, while they’re scrolling through their phones? I mean, come on, what even happened to good old-fashioned chit-chat? It seems like these days, genuine communication is as rare as a truly heartfelt apology from a celebrity. Perhaps the stars are aligned in some cosmic joke, nudging us toward superficiality? This article dives into the struggles of maintaining meaningful connections in an age swamped with distractions. Whether it’s the relentless grip of technology or the perennial propensity to complain, we’re exploring why sometimes it feels like we’re just howling into the void. So, buckle up — we’re about to take a quirky, astrological-infused journey through the art of conversation. Ready to learn how to keep those calls from fading away? LEARN MORE.

I’m not claiming to be the Queen of conversation, in writing this. I have a tip from the distant past I’d like to pass on and some other remarks.

I’m inspired to write this by this bit LP’s comment on How To Avoid Losing Your Mental Chops:

“I personally try to spur communication by touching base with old friends only to see my call be the last call made. Unless they’re gaming or scrolling nobody seems to care anymore.”

I agree with LP, but why don’t they care? In some cases, it’s because a person is consumed with their activity. But there are other reasons people tune out…

An old man warned me of this when I  a teenager. He said, when you get old, there’s generally pain involved. “A lot of older people; it’s all they talk about. “Oh, my lumbago! I don’t want to hear about it,” he explained. “I have pains of my own!”

He said that this bores people and drives people away. Noting this, he’d opted to never complain about his aches and pains.

I took his message to heart, obviously. Because I had my back all twisted up for years and no one here knew about anything about it Why should they?  It’s my burden!

If you don’t watch yourself, you can easily become a litany of complaints.  You call, Elsa, and in her place, you find a dark cloud of Elsa’s problems. You better believe, the calls will slow and then stop.

These days, there all ages can easily become afflicted with this or that obsession. This is another way to be “captured”.  Every sentence spoken is filtered through a some narrow lens. Politics is the obvious example but there are many other ways to be caught.

Unbeknownst to you, your brain has been hijacked by a trending topic. It’s not “you” anymore as you’re covered over by some popular narrative. You can’t hear your conversation partner, anymore. The topic has covered your mind like a cataract covers the eye. It blurs and blunts your cognitive function. I’ll be frank to say, I muted the usual political words and names, six years ago. I don’t want to catch the disease.

I’m sorry this is blunt. But if you want people to talk to you, you’ve got to be present as a human being, with ears, and the ability to consider the other person’s experience. Otherwise you’re using them, which is not at all kind.