A World Where People Acknowledged One Another

So many times I have walked down the street or been in a crowded place just to find that everyone I pass is completely immersed into their own lives. Whether they are fixed to their phones, listening to their headphones, playing on their ipad, or are staring down at the ground, no one seems to understand the concept of real social interaction. As technology steadily becomes a bigger part of our normal lives, people are becoming less and less socially exposed to a real person. They rely on the use of technology to keep them connected to the world. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy the technology that is accessible and I think that it can be very beneficial to many people. I also have been guilty of walking down the street texting my friend before class, or checking my email. However, I also think that technology is isolating people in a way that will change the way future generations act in direct human interaction. People are not interacting with one another the way they use to. I think that it has made people seem less friendly and more selfish.
I think it is important for people to keep a face to face connection. You cannot truly know someone until you talk to them personally. I have taken online classes and posted to discussion boards, but it is not the same until you can meet the person face to face. Only then can you put a face to a name. I think that some people would argue that you do not need face to face interaction to stay connected to someone. That may work for some people for a limited time, but for me; I need face to face interaction. I am a people person and enjoy knowing someone based on the natural ways of communication. When you talk to a stranger on the street, even if it is to say hello, it can make that strangers day. Even eye contact and a smile can make all the difference. We are a species that has survived on the influence of others and the role of human interaction, and even in today's modern world we still need that.
I think a simple way to begin this simple act is to do it. Say hello to someone when you pass them on the street. If you are siting on a bus or metro, take time to start a conversation with another person. A lot of times people don't talk to one another because they think they have nothing to say to a complete stranger, but there is always something kind you can say. I think that I may come from a family that is small-town and friendly. So, this might be an easier task for me to understand than others. But it really is not that hard to do. It requires no effort on your part, just say hello. Try to walk down the street without checking your phone. You may make someones day, and it will open your eyes to the world around you. Not only are people missing out on conversations with one another, but they are missing out on the small pieces of life that are happening around them. I recently had a friend that was walking on a road when a severe accident occurred. Unfortunately she could not be a valid witness because she had been texting on her phone during the accident. She saw the aftermath, but not the initial reaction. Had she been enjoying the scenery around her, she may have been able to give helpful information into what occurred.
This would be a hard task to implement. There would have to be some kind of limit to phone, computer, headphone, ect use while walking and riding on the metro, buses, ect. Because these electronics have become such a crutial part of daily life for so many people, it would be equally as difficult to keep people following this limit. It could be issued like the law of tecting while driving. It would be a law, but people would still do it. They would know that doing it could be potentially dangerous, but the reasoning behind it is for the better.