Is conversation a dying art form? The use of smartphone technologies to communicate has become extremely important in society to the point of causing real concern. There are numerous social media that enable such communication. According to the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan research organization that provides information on emerging trends, “in 2005, only 5 percent of American adults used at least one of these platforms. By 2011 that share had risen to half of all Americans, and today 69% of the public uses some type of social media.” There is no denying that we live in the age of social media and are completely consumed by it. In fact, we no longer communicate with each other in the way we used to. Smartphones are doing the job in a much faster and convenient way. While smartphone technologies and social media are amazing utilities that have expanded the world for us, it's important to take a moment and think about the bigger picture. Younger generations spend an excessive amount of time on technologies and use them as their main source of communication, which then leads to them losing essential communication skills needed to be successful in the real world, in the workplace and in personal relationships. Although some argue that banning social media completely would be the best and most effective solution, it is unrealistic considering how social media is intertwined in virtually all aspects of society and such a ban would inflict individual freedom and the right to use this utility. . To recover crucial communication skills in the workplace and in your personal life, you need to take individual actions to ensure better use of this type of technology. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Communication through social media is replacing face-to-face interactions, resulting in poor communication skills, particularly among younger generations. According to the MIT Technology Review, “the average American spends 24 hours a week online.” This number is constantly increasing and continues to do so. People are spending more and more time on their devices and thus isolating themselves from necessary human interactions. As a result, younger generations are having more difficulty in face-to-face interactions and are starting to avoid such situations. When we could start a conversation with a colleague or stranger who could potentially change our lives with new opportunities and worldviews, we choose to fiddle with our phones instead. According to the New York Post, “Americans check their phones on average once every 12 minutes – burying their heads in their phones 80 times a day, according to new research.” This is largely due to the fact that today's youth are no longer confident in their social skills and do not know how to interact with people face to face because they always choose to communicate via smartphones. In fact, millenials have been considered the socially awkward generation. According to Digital Trends, a news site that covers technology news, “In this Bank of America survey, 29% of Americans chose text as their preferred method for conversing with others, compared to 40% of millennials. While 38% of Americans of all ages chose in-person conversations as their first choice, compared to 33% of millennials.” Clearly, texting is becoming the most popular method of communication. This is a problem because strong communication skills are needed for on-site successwork and personal relationships. This includes the ability to interpret body language, present yourself in a confident and positive manner, manage human emotions and be able to guide the conversation by observing the other person. Unfortunately, technology doesn't teach how to interact face-to-face when body language and emotions become an issue part of the picture. Communication through smartphone technology hinders the development of interpersonal skills necessary for success in the workplace. Strong communication skills are an absolute requirement in the workplace. According to an article by Christina Patterson, a freelance author and columnist, “More than 200 employers were surveyed, and nearly all said that social intelligence is now more important to new hires than IQ or test scores. They said they were wasting a lot of time interviewing people who seemed to have no social skills." This is caused by the excessive use of smartphone technology to communicate and the lack of face-to-face interaction. If social media is causing people to lose the social skills needed to succeed in the workplace, it's time to reconsider how this technology is used. Donovan McFarlane, professor of business administration and business research methods at Frederick Taylor University, argues that we have learned to value efficiency over effectiveness. This means that the speed and convenience with which technology allows us to communicate has become more important than how valuable and clear the conversation is. He says technology has created “an impatience in communication.” While it is great to be able to communicate with the second person so quickly and conveniently, it is harmful to resort to this from time to time or when it comes to more significant conversations because misunderstandings are very likely to occur. Additionally, over time, interpersonal skills decline if they are not practiced. This results in not knowing how to effectively deal with criticism at work, resolve conflicts with colleagues, and not being able to handle stressful social situations yourself. It might be much easier to handle a work conflict via text, but it's crucial to know how to deal with such a situation in person because we still can't hide behind our phones forever. Unfortunately, according to news.com.au, an Australian news site specializing in breaking national and international news, "A survey of American millennials by One Poll found that 65% don't feel comfortable interacting with someone face to face and 80% prefer to converse digitally.” This is bound to create problems in the workplace and this is why employers criticize the lack of adequate communication skills among the younger generations. Furthermore, smartphone technology is hindering the formation of intimate relationships, which are necessary for be socially healthy. Communication through technology can actually make us feel alone. This is because the barrier of technology in a way dehumanizes the connection since body language and emotions cannot be exchanged Conversation, a psychologist, MIT professor and researcher, has spent about 30 years studying how technology is affecting social skills and relationships. In her book, Alone Together, she states that “Our online life allows us to hide from each other from others, even if we are connected to each other” (Turkle Sherry, Alone Together, pp. 13). He explains that online connections are much more superficial because of thetechnological barrier between two parties, which allows for misinterpretations and the assumption of different personalities. Therefore, online connections do not satisfy the social need for intimacy and should not replace face-to-face interactions. In fact, according to Pacific Standard, an American magazine that focuses on social and environmental issues, "recently published research suggests that the simple presence of a cell phone or smartphone can decrease the quality of an in-person conversation, decreasing the level of empathy" . which is exchanged between friends. This is because cell phones cause us to get distracted and think about what is happening online. A research team led by Shalini Misra of Virginia Tech University states that “In their presence, people have a constant need to search for information, control communications, and direct their thoughts to other worlds” (as cited in Jacobs, 2014) . Even when people aren't actively checking their smartphones but have them somewhere nearby, conversation suffers and less empathy is present, preventing an intimate connection. This is a troubling issue because it is a known fact in psychology that human beings need intimate relationships to be socially healthy. Some suggest that banning such social media would be the most effective solution, as extreme as it may seem. In a magazine article, Natasha Devon, a writer, social critic and former head of mental health in schools, argues that social media should be completely banned for teenagers. Having worked extensively with teenagers, he believes social media is causing more harm than good. He also states that from his long experience of working with teenagers, he has deduced that "the average age at which a young person can join Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or Instagram is in year 8 (12 years old)". It is certainly legitimate to be concerned about children starting to use social media so early because at such a young age social media can certainly be dangerous and impede proper social development. However, a total ban is not at all a realistic solution considering the influence of social media in society. According to ProCon.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan online research source, "93 percent of adults on Facebook use it to connect with family members, 91 percent use it to connect with current friends, and 87 % use it to connect with past friends [274] 72% of all teens connect with friends via social media It is impractical to impose a ban when the majority of the population relies so heavily on social media. Such a ban would be perceived as an attack on teenagers' right to use this utility. Another possible solution would be to impose a ban on social media in the workplace and in schools and focus on the job at hand without additional distractions. The Pew Research Center conducted a study to see how American workers use social media in the workplace. First, the majority of American workers use social media in the workplace work and for a number of different reasons. According to the results of the study, most workers use social media at work to take a break, while the result of the study is that “34% ever use social media while at work to take a mental break from their work ”. However, workers also use social media to network, find information and get closer to their colleagues with study findings of “24% to create or support professional connections” and “20% to get information that helps them solve problems at work. " This clearly indicates thatsocial media is also used in many positive ways. Accordingly, there should not be a ban on smartphones in the workplace but rather restrictions if the employer monitors employees for using social media for non-beneficial reasons. Likewise, students in schools can benefit from the use of social media. According to ProCon.org, “59% of students with Internet access report using social media to discuss educational topics and 50% use the sites to talk about schoolwork.” Unless students are using their smartphones for reasons other than school-related, a ban is not necessary, as social media can contribute to learning by providing access to many different opinions and discussions online. With all this in mind, the best solution that would produce the most optimal results is individual action. Ultimately, it is up to people to decide how to use social media, whether beneficially or harmfully. The main source of communication should not be through technology. Why should younger generations bother to start meeting in person more often and spend all this extra?when a text message or even a call at their convenience could get the message across to the second party? Because face-to-face communication has many more benefits, and having great social skills can help you get ahead in many areas of life. When people communicate in person, they are able to express themselves more fully and understand each other better through the use of body language, which can be used to guide the conversation and get the most out of it. This is really useful during job interviews, business meetings or resolving a conflict. By making a conscious effort to discuss more important work-related ideas in person rather than over a device, you are likely to benefit greatly in your career and build stronger relationships with colleagues that are sure to pay off. In fact, according to research conducted by David Deming, professor of education and economics at Harvard and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, “workers who combine social and technical skills perform better in the modern economy, as measured by a of 7.2". one percentage point increase in available jobs and a 26% wage increase between 1980 and 2012.” Therefore, it is very important to develop these strong communication skills to win over employers or clients and succeed in the current way the modern economy is set up. Another benefit of putting smartphones down more often is that there are more face-to-face meetings. facial communication would allow people to form deeper and more meaningful relationships. This has been proven by the research already mentioned, according to which conversation becomes more intimate, empathetic and genuine when people are actually with each other and direct all their attention towards each other. In reality it is better to leave all devices at home completely because according to some research even the presence of a smartphone worsens the quality of a conversation. This should not be a difficult task to do from time to time and would bring many benefits in terms of improving relationships. For the same reason, there should be no smartphones at the table or at lunch. According to ProCon.org, “32% reported using social media or texting during meals (47% of 18-34 year olds) [99] instead of talking to family and friends. 10% of people under the age of 25 respond to social media and text messages during sex. The use of technology.