Perhaps, no one will notice. Or, more likely, there will be a continuum of embarrassing moments, where everyone will merely look the other way and act as if nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. Truth be told, the loss of social cues has, over time, become palpable; beyond noticeable; more than a sidebar; it is now at a crisis point where normalcy has given way to eccentricity of behavior. Look at all of the kids entering the school building; surrounded by others, yet lost with heads bent down to take a last look at their smartphones. Watch as school ends, and what are they all doing — exiting and at the first inkling, the initial inclination? Out with the smartphones. Screens are merely paginated snapshots of information; they do not present the human complexities of expressions, grimaces, winces or smiles — all of the compendium of social cues which are picked up in the animal world through real encounters with others. They are learned over time; imperceptibly; of recognizing tension in the air, of silence so heavy that it feels stuffy. How do we learn to pick up social cues? By engaging with other human beings, caring about them, showing some empathy and interest. Instead, we choose to stare at screens filled with flashing lights; and though the dopamine in our bodies may accelerate and give us an addictive “high”, the loss of social cues is what disintegrates the already-weakened fabric of a clueless society. For Federal employees and U.S. Postal Workers who suffer...
Russia's Defense Ministry is reporting alleged battlefield successes on Max, but some of its claims lack evidence. Even Russian military bloggers are questioning claims that Ukrainian forces have ...