IMNSHO, the parent is simply behaving reactively to the threat of new paradigms.
Email does not convey the emotion of a phone call, let alone a video call.
Easy access to information fosters discussion - by ending pointless, heated debates over nothing.
Only teenagers, and I now presume, older people, fuddle with their phones instead of talking to the person in front of them.
One hit on google and that's you! Nice!
Certainly does not, and it's a nice bonus, but when on earth do people use video calls? Since they are even better at conveying emotions, by your logic everybody carrying a smartphone should be making video calls at all times. But it's the contrary, people even prefer texting on Whatsapp over phone calls or even voice messages.
> Easy access to information fosters discussion - by ending pointless, heated debates over nothing.
They are the opposite of pointless. I feel the current/younger generation has completely lost the ability to have civilized, structured debates. If you can't solve a disagreement by a google search people freak out pretty quickly. And then we need safe spaces left and right and everybody is a victim and it's all society's fault. Those pointless debates over trifles serve a purpose, like kitten playfully fighting all day.
> Only teenagers, and I now presume, older people, fuddle with their phones instead of talking to the person in front of them.
Mostly teenagers yes, but them being the next generation of adults I doubt they'll just stop once they're into their twens. It'll just become the norm.
I actually see people using facetime in public all the time -- I think its one of those things if you aren't looking for it you won't notice. I've actually used google hangouts on my phone a few times -- recently I was in the airport w/o my computer on my Dad's birthday so we did a video call and other scenarios like that one. Also, I lived abroad for a few years and I used video chat extensively with my parents and other friends back in the states. (TBF though a majority of the time it was on my laptop -- but sometimes I did use my phone!)
> Mostly teenagers yes, but them being the next generation of adults I doubt they'll just stop once they're into their twens. It'll just become the norm.
That one is potentially true although I'll say based off of our interns they seem to be pretty good about not being on their phones all the time when the situation calls for it. I think like most things its super individual because of my coworkers the person who is on their phone the most is actually a middle aged guy.
I'd argue that email (and video calls, etc) have killed our ability to convey emotion via written word. What used to take time and thought has been reduced to quick blurbs given with little effort.
Get off my lawn! <shakes cane>
When they seemingly replace a phone call, its usually because the institution would have liked to use only letter writing but couldn't for some non-technical reason.
Like a company processing refunds and cancelations by phone in order to have the opportunity to convince clients not to cancel (i.e. non-technical reason), now uses email or chat systems to accomplish the same thing.