Technology has made multi-tasking easier and more efficient. We are all now accustomed to doing more than one thing at a time... driving, listening to the radio, talking on bluetooth, eating a fast food snack and drinking all at once comes to mind. I plead guilty to this and other multi-tasking errors of convenience.
I also understand that sometimes seniors jokes are not very funny to anyone but seniors and occasionally, if not frequently, their stories may be repetitive and not very exciting to young people. Nevertheless it seems to me that these foibles of age pale in comparison to the lack of manners in today's hi-tech world. It may be, indeed it must be, acceptable among the youth of today to be carrying on a conversation with friends and texting or twittering another simultaneously. If this is an acceptable norm between teens today then far be it from me to interfere. Teens should know, however, that to seniors when a teenager with whom one is trying to connect texts someone else in the middle of the conversation it is simply rude... period. It says that the one they are talking with in person is not as important as the person on the other end of the text. Most seniors understand that they may not be as important as the textee and that's fine... but instead of insulting them with your indifference, please excuse yourself and leave the room while you carry on your textual dialogue.
As for boring jokes and stories, teens might want to remember that the definition of wisdom is... learning from others' mistakes. If today's' youth would quit multi-tasking for a minute and stay focused on some of what seniors prattle on about, they might find a few self-deprecating nuggets that will help them avoid making the same mistakes as their parents or grandparents... and that chill'n, is how you gain wisdom. It takes very little effort or time to show a bit of respect for those that brung ya to the party.
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