Junkies in the Boardroom

Has this ever happened to you?

You go out with someone for lunch or a social event, and you seem to spend the whole time talking to yourself. Your companion is otherwise engaged, and is focusing all their attention on something else rather than you.

The "something " in question is a cell phone or PDA on which your companion feels the need to text incessantly. As their fingers fly over the tiny keypad you can't help but wonder why you agreed to come out with them at all - it seems with the addition of that telecommunication device your presence is not needed.

Is this what communication or social interaction has come to in our society? People think nothing of answering a cell phone and texting people back even when they are in the middle of a conversation. Social niceties and general good manners are nowhere to be found in the era of Bluetooth and the Blackberry.

You find yourself launching into a heart breaking story of how your daughters puppy was crushed beneath the wheels of the garbage truck this morning - but you know that your companion is not listening. Their eyes dart down to the small screen held in their hands. "Uh huh" - "oh yeah" they mutter as a trickle of drool escapes from the corner of their mouth- you've seen this look in the eyes before. Your momma had it when she was trying to kick heroin back in 1984.



Junkies come in all shapes and sizes. Some are seen on Dateline specials where they cook up an Emeril inspired concoction using just a lighter, tourniquet,and a handful of "rock". While other junkies can be seen in the boardrooms - sweaty palms, eyes bulging out in anticipation of an incoming text. Their fingers type in the air on a phantom Blackberry. They interrupt with "LOL" or "ROFL" at random times in the meeting. It's not a monkey on their back, but a Silverback Mountain Gorilla with an unlimited texting and mobile browsing package.