The end of conversations

[Dressinggown]

Rarely anyone talks to each other:any more .

Nobody seems to possess any ability to positively engage with others.

Me,me,me,me. And F**k anyone else.

Has society got dragged into this abyss ?

[CleggHall]

…..goodbye, cheerio, see you!

[Steve1956]

Me,me,me,me. And F**k anyone else.

Has society got dragged into this abyss ?

Yes sadly it has.

[Bow]

Really?

[GetIntoEm]

What prompted this?

[beddie]

Mobile phones are part of the problem. The amount of times whilst in a cafe or restaurant I’ve seen both parents on their phones ignoring their children. I rarely use my phone, sometimes I forget to turn it on. I like conversation with people and wish people would do more of it.

[Claretfanatic1982]

I suppose it's what circles you hang around in . None of these issues in mine.

Well , if you are talking about the general public, I agree.

[exilecanada]

What prompted this?

Covid did. People got used to not communicating with others face to face.

[Buxtonclaret]

You walked into a pub, 15/20 years ago, & there'd be all sorts of different conversations going on.
Now everyboy seems to be looking at a screen.

[GavlarClaret]

Smart phones have been unleashed onto society/humanity without any training, guidance or warnings to the effect they would have on the youth at all.

Now everyone's addicted - literally 99% of the population of the developed world. They might not admit it, but people are addicted to their screens, and it's scary for the future - we're right in the middle of it developing

[ClaretPete001]

You walked into a pub, 15/20 years ago, & there'd be all sorts of different conversations going on.
Now everyboy seems to be looking at a screen.

The people chatting in pubs 20 years ago grew up in a much more homogenous society with (depending upon their age) 3.4 or 5 TV channels. A small number of National newspapers dominated the national discourse and more likely as not the person stood next to you had a similar cultural back story.

People had a lot more in common. I'm not passing judgement on it just stating facts. The issue is not the technology itself but the fact that the technology creates a much more divergent cultural landscape and people can more easily find things in common by joining groups online than they can stood next to An Other in a pub.

[Marney&Mee]

I’ll send you an email…

[JohnMac]

Sorry, I was reading stuff on my phone, what was the question?

[HunterST_BFC]

Ironically the Mobile Phone with texts and apps has killed conversation.
Constant eyes on screen wherever you go.
When did you last sinply call an old mate just for a chat?

Pub life has decimated too for various reasons also.

[ClaretPete001]

I think lots of us call old mates for a chat or a catch up. The difference between now and 30 years ago is that if you didn't live in East Lancashire 30 years ago - you didn't have a site like this to talk to fellow Clarets. You aren't going to bump into one in the Pub if you live in rural Wales or a lot of other places.

How many on here sit in a cafe or a pub catching up on this forum? Not that anyone would admit to it.

[Quicknick]

I think lots of us call old mates for a chat or a catch up. The difference between now and 30 years ago is that if you didn't live in East Lancashire 30 years ago - you didn't have a site like this to talk to fellow Clarets. You aren't going to bump into one in the Pub if you live in rural Wales or a lot of other places.

How many on here sit in a cafe or a pub catching up on this forum? Not that anyone would admit to it.

You don't TALK to people on this site.

[Tribesmen]

It has to be an age thing .
When i was working we ( eight of us) would sit in the canteen at breaks and chat away , now the youngest would have been 45 up to mid sixties , never would a phone come out yet all other tables people would be on their phones while eating .
Monday was always the best day as sport over the weekend always was the major chat line .

[Woodleyclaret]

Banning mobiles in pubs,restaurants and public transport would help.Personally, I don't want listen to some cretin yelling down a phone talking complete bxxxxxxs.

[The Shire Claret]

I have to completely disagree with you on this …

I have a 16 year old and him and his mates are always out and about and talking in person or on their PS5’s (headsets) and on their phones …

People have never been in more contact with each other … I’m always in WhatsApp to my mates and colleagues etc…

Still meet in person of course …

If you’re looking on Instagram and stuff like that … you will find the ‘me me me’ people but they are a massive minority

Not trying to be offensive but maybe you might feel a bit detached from the new ways for communication?

You now see people in coffee houses on their own with their phones but they are chatting to their mates on WhatsApp or whatever … you would have never seen that in this country a few years back

Every older generation thinks the new generation is doomed … rinse and repeat

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Smart phones have been unleashed onto society/humanity without any training, guidance or warnings to the effect they would have on the youth at all.

Now everyone's addicted - literally 99% of the population of the developed world. They might not admit it, but people are addicted to their screens, and it's scary for the future - we're right in the middle of it developing

This is 100% true. I, as someone who recognises this still find it difficult to not end up stuck on it. I regularly need to check my emails and consciously beforehand tell myself - JUST Check the email.

an hour later i am down a rabbit hole. Social media tailored to target you with **** you dont think you need or even want to read but you cant help it.

Its genuinely as addictive as (and probably as bad as) drugs!

I try and be conscious of this and still have no choice.

I instill certain 'rules' - never at the dinner table, always try and keep it out of where I sleep, but its scary. Adults are as bad as the kids. But I fear for the kids (and I dont think its like when our generation were told TV will make our eyes square. I think its a genuine epidemic!)

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Banning mobiles in pubs,restaurants and public transport would help.Personally, I don't want listen to some cretin yelling down a phone talking complete bxxxxxxs.

Festivals, concerts and sports are the worse !

[ecc]

Mobile phones are part of the problem. The amount of times whilst in a cafe or restaurant I’ve seen both parents on their phones ignoring their children. I rarely use my phone, sometimes I forget to turn it on. I like conversation with people and wish people would do more of it.

Mobile phones are the scourge of the 21st century.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Mobile phones are the scourge of the 21st century.

Like everything. They have their place. But the bad is starting to outweigh the good!

[pureclaret]

Rarely anyone talks to each other:any more .

Nobody seems to possess any ability to positively engage with others.

Me,me,me,me. And F**k anyone else.

Has society got dragged into this abyss ?

Hi if this is just a thought on how things have changed ,you may well be right.
If it is a more important statement re your own life please let me or others know .Your profile says you live in Padiham I live in Rishton so not far away to meet for a drink and a chat espeically if at Gawthorpe

[Claretfanatic1982]

I have to completely disagree with you on this …

I have a 16 year old and him and his mates are always out and about and talking in person or on their PS5’s (headsets) and on their phones …

People have never been in more contact with each other … I’m always in WhatsApp to my mates and colleagues etc…

Still meet in person of course …

If you’re looking on Instagram and stuff like that … you will find the ‘me me me’ people but they are a massive minority

Not trying to be offensive but maybe you might feel a bit detached from the new ways for communication?

You now see people in coffee houses on their own with their phones but they are chatting to their mates on WhatsApp or whatever … you would have never seen that in this country a few years back

Every older generation thinks the new generation is doomed … rinse and repeat

Total agreement with the this.
I used to be notoriously bad at keeping in contact with people. With modern day tech , I'm in touch with people daily and never felt as close.

On the other hand though, these people who seem to constantly use their phones on loudspeaker , irrelevant of what they are doing ( chatting, listening to music) can do one !

[Claretfanatic1982]

Mobile phones are the scourge of the 21st century.

I'm inclined to say it's some of the people who use the phones that are the scourge.

[AfloatinClaret]

...If you’re looking on Instagram and stuff like that … you will find the ‘me me me’ people but they are a massive minority

That (for me at least) is the biggest problem with 'Social Media' as a whole. Bigots, political/religious/social extremists and everyday cranks have always seemed to speak with the loudest voices, despite their generally having the least worth saying. Prior to the advent of social media, those people struggled to spread their bile much beyond the local pub and even there, the landlord would shut them up or move them on once he started losing trade because the more moderate customers got sick of listening to them.

Nowadays they can and do, shout from the online rooftops and with a relatively small number of likeminded twerps all propagating each others others opinions with likes, retweets and re-posts, etc it sometimes gives the impression that the extent of approval/agreement with their ideas is far greater than the reality.
If you look down the long list of people who've replied positively to any extreme social media post, you'll usually find that it's relatively small in number, but they've each replied several times. If you look further and find posts/threads started by those same supporters, you'll discover that those too will have been applauded (several times) by that same limited number... It's more a group masturbation session than political/social comment.

[The Shire Claret]

That (for me at least) is the biggest problem with 'Social Media' as a whole. Bigots, political/religious/social extremists and everyday cranks have always seemed to speak with the loudest voices, despite their generally having the least worth saying. Prior to the advent of social media, those people struggled to spread their bile much beyond the local pub and even there, the landlord would shut them up or move them on once he started losing trade because the more moderate customers got sick of listening to them.

Nowadays they can and do, shout from the online rooftops and with a relatively small number of likeminded twerps all propagating each others others opinions with likes, retweets and re-posts, etc it sometimes gives the impression that the extent of approval/agreement with their ideas is far greater than the reality.
If you look down the long list of people who've replied positively to any extreme social media post, you'll usually find that it's relatively small in number, but they've each replied several times. If you look further and find posts/threads started by those same supporters, you'll discover that those too will have been applauded (several times) by that same limited number... It's more a group masturbation session than political/social comment.

Absolutely right on that.

'Divide and Conquer' is now within an algorithm of social media ....

But again I do feel the younger generation are so much better as dealing with this than generations not growing up with it...

The amount of older people I know getting way too involved and hooked in to bait opinions of snipped clips of misinformation and then turning into their understanding of the new world is scary...

A bit like my mum sharing a picture of a missing dog from Venezuela in 2019 on the local facebook page ....

[ChorltonCharlie]

This is 100% true. I, as someone who recognises this still find it difficult to not end up stuck on it. I regularly need to check my emails and consciously beforehand tell myself - JUST Check the email.

an hour later i am down a rabbit hole. Social media tailored to target you with **** you dont think you need or even want to read but you cant help it.

Its genuinely as addictive as (and probably as bad as) drugs!

I try and be conscious of this and still have no choice.

I instill certain 'rules' - never at the dinner table, always try and keep it out of where I sleep, but its scary. Adults are as bad as the kids. But I fear for the kids (and I dont think its like when our generation were told TV will make our eyes square. I think its a genuine epidemic!)

There are things you can do to make it less appealing. I'm not that bad with social media, but with something like twitter where I go on to see if there's any transfer rumours, I can find myself scrolling. Found a simple solution and automated my iphone to auto go into greyscale mode when twitter gets focus, and back again when it loses focus. I scroll nowhere near as much now.

[Clovius Boofus]

Ban this, ban that... Some of you would be right at home in North Korea.

If people want to use their mobile phones while walking into lamp posts, well, that's up to them, isn't it. Same regarding pubs etc as long as they don't have it on speakerphone, and most don't, because, believe it or not, most people aren't shitheads.

My advice is to get out for a good walk instead of wasting hours on here each day.

[Claretfanatic1982]

That (for me at least) is the biggest problem with 'Social Media' as a whole. Bigots, political/religious/social extremists and everyday cranks have always seemed to speak with the loudest voices, despite their generally having the least worth saying. Prior to the advent of social media, those people struggled to spread their bile much beyond the local pub and even there, the landlord would shut them up or move them on once he started losing trade because the more moderate customers got sick of listening to them.

Nowadays they can and do, shout from the online rooftops and with a relatively small number of likeminded twerps all propagating each others others opinions with likes, retweets and re-posts, etc it sometimes gives the impression that the extent of approval/agreement with their ideas is far greater than the reality.
If you look down the long list of people who've replied positively to any extreme social media post, you'll usually find that it's relatively small in number, but they've each replied several times. If you look further and find posts/threads started by those same supporters, you'll discover that those too will have been applauded (several times) by that same limited number... It's more a group masturbation session than political/social comment.

The online echo chambers !

[Claretfanatic1982]

There are things you can do to make it less appealing. I'm not that bad with social media, but with something like twitter where I go on to see if there's any transfer rumours, I can find myself scrolling. Found a simple solution and automated my iphone to auto go into greyscale mode when twitter gets focus, and back again when it loses focus. I scroll nowhere near as much now.

For x/twitter , I just stay away from the *For you* tab .

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

There are things you can do to make it less appealing. I'm not that bad with social media, but with something like twitter where I go on to see if there's any transfer rumours, I can find myself scrolling. Found a simple solution and automated my iphone to auto go into greyscale mode when twitter gets focus, and back again when it loses focus. I scroll nowhere near as much now.

I have a third party app (Brick) which prevents me accessing anything when I've tapped it. But still.

[CoolClaret]

Total agreement with the this.
I used to be notoriously bad at keeping in contact with people. With modern day tech , I'm in touch with people daily and never felt as close.

On the other hand though, these people who seem to constantly use their phones on loudspeaker , irrelevant of what they are doing ( chatting, listening to music) can do one !

The issue is thinking that you're closer than ever but never really meeting up with anyone - I see this a heck of a lot and virtual messaging simply isn't a replacement for meeting up in person.

It's also tiring to be bombarded by messages all day, and you're expected to respond to all of them!

[Jakubclaret]

The issue is thinking that you're closer than ever but never really meeting up with anyone - I see this a heck of a lot and virtual messaging simply isn't a replacement for meeting up in person.

It's also tiring to be bombarded by messages all day, and you're expected to respond to all of them!

That's true. I don't think you can ever really know people without meeting them face to face. Fair enough if you know people beforehand you have at least some sort of a grasp. You can feel obligated to virtually reply to people so you even have to change your settings to hide that you have received their messages for that very reason.

[tarkys_ears]

It's just that "remember when" is the lowest of conversation

[jrgbfc]

The issue is thinking that you're closer than ever but never really meeting up with anyone - I see this a heck of a lot and virtual messaging simply isn't a replacement for meeting up in person.

It's also tiring to be bombarded by messages all day, and you're expected to respond to all of them!

Exactly, like arranging a night out on a group Whatsapp. In the past you'd meet up in the local and arrange things like that.

[ClaretPete001]

You don't TALK to people on this site.

Oh...!

[Claretfanatic1982]

The issue is thinking that you're closer than ever but never really meeting up with anyone - I see this a heck of a lot and virtual messaging simply isn't a replacement for meeting up in person.

It's also tiring to be bombarded by messages all day, and you're expected to respond to all of them!

This is true but my local friends and family get both . Regular contact with tech and also in person.
I also have quite a few friends scattered across the world. It's very hard to see them regularly but with modern day tech , I can keep in contact weekly.

[CoolClaret]

This is true but my local friends and family get both . Regular contact with tech and also in person.
I also have quite a few friends scattered across the world. It's very hard to see them regularly but with modern day tech , I can keep in contact weekly.

Yes, there are, of course, positives - and if you can compartmentalise your phone and use it as needed, then... great!

I'm just saying that a lot of people seem to think they're staying in touch more, when really, they're just becoming increasingly isolated.

[Rileybobs]

Exactly, like arranging a night out on a group Whatsapp. In the past you'd meet up in the local and arrange things like that.

Having a night out to arrange a night out is a nice concept. Did you meet up in the local to arrange the meet up in the local to arrange the night out?

[ClaretTony]

I'm just saying that a lot of people seem to think they're staying in touch more, when really, they're just becoming increasingly isolated.

Couldn't agree more. A few years ago I was chatting to a taxi driver who said to me that phones used to bring people together (talking to each other on the phone) but now they push people apart.

I realised a while ago that I wasn't concentrating on other things, believing that I'd watched a football match on TV as an example but really it had just been on in front of me. Now, I switch specs so I can't see to read my phone and I actually do watch the football.

[Quicknick]

Oh...!

Obviously I meant face to face. We do communicate, though, Pete.

[Conroy92]

I also think the easy access to information has stopped general conversations.

You used to have conversations with people and lengthy discussions and debates over things, now as soon as someone asks a question it's spat into Google or Siri and the debate is over.

[HurstGrangeClaret]

Think this is a massive over generalisation.
Undoubtedly people spend a lot of time on their phones but to say this is the end of conversation- it isn’t. I’m in regular touch with some of my oldest friends often on WhatsApp but there’s nothing we like better than having regular trips around places on pub crawls, or regular walks in the Lakes, Dales, Trough of Bowland where we can be talking for several hours.
Given a choice between communicating digitally or in person, I know what most people would prefer. After all, it’s difficult to have a good belly laugh looking at a phone screen as opposed to nattering to someone in person.

[Bow]

Old man yells at cloud

[Clovius Boofus]

End of conversations? Can't get a word in edge ways when I meet up with family and friends. Also, go in a decent locals pub, and you'll still see people chatting away to each other. Go out for a walk - even strangers pass more than the time of day with each other.

Maybe it's a case of people wanting to avoid some of you.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Trouble is, when i have conversations with orher Brits i come across here, so often they come out with such boorish opinions that im glad to live away from them.

The way they seem shocked if you disagree or call them on it....... melons