The Erosion of Discourse

I just returned from a trip to New Orleans. Airports provide an excellent opportunity for people-watching. I noticed that many people (2 or 3 out of 5?) were carrying their cell phone in their hand, many scrolling as they walked. It seems as if our attention spans increasingly resemble that of a goldfish — short and easily diverted. There were some people engaging in conversation, but a great many people traveling in pairs and in small groups were, for the most part, staring into screens. I even saw a child, around 3 or 4 years old and in a stroller, swiping an electronic screen. This digital deluge has hijacked our focus. We’re becoming separated from one another and it may be bringing about a societal crisis. I contend that it’s eroding the very foundations of civil discourse that once defined our republic.