A basic rule of thumb when meeting others is to be friendly. Initiate conversation, make eye contact, show interest in the other person, ask questions. Well, from recent experiences, I think that the rule now has a different interpretation. The next millennium generation has changed the rule to two words: AVOID SILENCE.
When meeting strangers, silence can be pretty awkward. You don't know if the other person is not interested in talking to you, or if you're just being shy. So generally, outgoing people try to start by initiating small talk, like "So how was the ride?" or "Wow the sun looks beautiful to day." And as the other person starts to open up more, the conversation turns direction to something more important.
Well, silence is still awkward for the new gen. But now, there are new ways to counter awkwardness. Around college campuses, hundreds of people walk around with iPods in their ears. At bus stops and restaurants, strangers and even friends sitting next to each other are trapped looking at their cell phone screens trying to find someone to text. Why bother with the effort of making small talk when you can just pretend like you're do something more important?
And that, my friends, is what scares me. Texting and iPods are wonderful inventions, but they are not our lives. Ignoring someone because of uneasiness is not something that will make a person stronger in character, and shunning strangers certainly will not make the world more friendly. The next gen has to learn not to run away from meeting people and instead practice being sociable. Think about it the next time you are at the store trying to text to look cool. After all, why bury your head in a little screen when the world is all around you?
-Matthew
