The technological takeover is clearest to me, communication buff that I am, when dialogue is shortchanged; for examples, when there ‘is no need’ for personal introductions or written salutations anymore. I take it as disrespect–no one else seems to though. And the audacious abbreviations and careless typos that seemingly imply sophistication–they are all products of an aloof, fast-paced society starved for attention.

This communication elimination has never been clearer than it is nowadays at the personal care agency I am now done with (I have switched agencies because of it.) Some of the caregivers don’t even say hello before they plop down at the dining room table with their phones and time sheets and occupy themselves with them instead of me. Hello? And to little kids, this neglect to communicate can be especially unnerving or even frightening.