No Communication other than Distant...

   I'm still trying to conceptually comprehend the behavior of people almost completely tuning out the people they are in close physical proximity to while they stay in constant text contact with people oceans away via smartphones.  I can't claim complete innocence in this matter, as I spend a bit of time myself writing to people far away (as I am now), however, I still feel like it's good to have some verbal exchanges with people I'm working with and two of the contract positions I have provide an interesting contrast.
   Contract Position #1: Very little smartphone usage - in fact, several of the people I'm working with (myself included) don't even have smartphones and the ones who do usually leave them in their bags.  We don't always have much to say to each other, but since we're not tuned into distant somebodies, when something comes up, we (get ready, I know this is shocking and hard to believe)... we actually *talk* to each other.
   Contract Position #2: Some of the people I have to sit near are in nearly constant electronic text contact with someone far away and even if you say something to them, they just ignore you.  If they're working and their smartphone beckons, they drop their work, pick up their smartphone and respond immediately.  Wouldn't want that someone across the Pacific Ocean to have to wait a microsecond for a response.  Someone they're actually working with in reality?  Ignored.  Frozen out of the loop.  I'll be honest - I'm insulted.  I'm insulted, but I'm also puzzled.  I spend time on-line myself, but when I'm with people, I give the people I'm with priority and turn the bloody devices off.  But not late-twenties people.  Nothing is more important than their bloody smartphones and distant electronic buddies.
   This is anger speaking I suppose, but I'm actually starting to think I hate people in their late-twenties.  I'm hoping to meet some people in that age group who aren't addicted to toxic hand cream and distant electronic communication priority and snubbing the people they are actually with so I won't condemn an entire age group.  Just rotten luck, I'm hoping.  It can't be that an entire age group is so self-centered, rude, and myopic... can it?  (As I typed "can it"? the toxic hand cream came out again....)

- LHS