Evolution

Ever notice how young people rarely talk on the phone anymore?  They almost always text, or at least the ones I am around, do.  Cell phones seem to be less for talking to one another than for sending text messages, taking and sending photos, surfing the web, and playing games.  Do young people ever write letters, or even send emails?  Not the ones I know.  They tweet, or comment on their friends' Facebook pages, or text using their cells.

Is this a giant leap forward in the evolution of humankind?  Are humans adapting to keep up with technology?  Is the attention span of a young person shortened so he or she doesn't get left behind as technology moves ahead by leaps and bounds?  Which came first -- technology or the evolving brain?

Also, people don't seem to be as social as they once were.  If we have jobs, we are usually on call 24/7.  Not many have an actual 9 to 5 job anymore.  Technology never lets us turn off.  Even if we are on a beach in the Caribbean, we can still be involved in decisions at the job.  This naturally gives us less time get to know one another; so here, too, decisions must be made quickly.

Today's young people have to be able to keep up with what can be lightening fast changes, not only in the world of work, but also socially.  I think they are missing out on some of the best parts of being human -- the slow development of a relationship; the time it takes to really get to know another person.