Social skills are at an all time low, especially with this new generation. It feels that trying to vocalize your thoughts might not get you anywhere when the person you are trying to communicate with…doesn’t have the skills to socialize with others.

Have people been experiencing stunted conversations with others because they either can find commonality or only receive the minimum viable answer acceptable in the conversation with no way to extend the conversation beyond the basic questions? I’m an introvert millennial (as most people have categorized me) and I struggle to socialize because I don’t have the energy for it. It isn’t that I can’t communicate, but that I can’t communicate for long periods of time. But lately, in trying to talk to others or of the younger generation, I can’t seem to get anywhere past “Hi. How are you? How was your day?” I am not the only one experiencing this, right?

Social media and the internet in general does not help with this issue. I think in the future, there might need to be mandatory classes that focus on children socializing outside of school to understand the customs and courtesies of being out in the world. That staring at your phone all day is really detrimental to your ability to progress in many aspects of life (friendship, relationships, career, etc). I don’t think it is being highlighted enough and it is hurting the future generations.

What do you think we should do in order to help alleviate some of these hinderances in communicating with others in life? You can’t force anyone to do it, but there has to be a way in which others can encourage to put down the phone, reach out to someone and have a genuine, personal conversation with someone…anyone really.