Something’s Missing!

In a bustling, crowded scene, certain elements must be firmly embedded in your visual memory to be noticed when they’re absent. I must admit that if I were a teenager growing up in this era, I would likely have a smartphone and a tablet, as I consider myself a bit of a tech geek. However, I would not be very active on social media, as that does not align with my personality.

While reviewing my archived photos of a courtyard lunch crowd in Madrid, Spain, taken during a 2014 trip, I was struck by the absence of something commonly seen in current American lunch scenes: cell phones and other electronic devices. This was 12 years ago, so it would be interesting to return to Madrid and see whether these devices have become as prominent during meals in Spain as they are currently in America.

Today in America –

“You see people in restaurants all the time who are sitting across the table from each other, and instead of staring at each other, they’re staring at their phones,” says Dwyer, a doctoral candidate in psychology. “We were really curious: Is it having an impact on people’s social interactions, how much they’re enjoying the time they’re spending with other people? Phone use during a meal led to a modest but noticeable decrease in diners’ enjoyment, according to research.” – Time / Health