“Remember to go talk to actual people every now & then, OK”

Good advice in this Bluesky post from @jrosevear.bsky.social, isn’t it?

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/multicultural-people-using-smartphones-ignoring-each-other-sitting-sofa-multicultural-young-people-using-smartphones-ignoring-144185438.jpg

 

A Fraying of the Social Fabric?

John’s post invites us to talk with actual people. Related to this topic, a headline in the Semafor newsletter https://www.semafor.com/) surprised me;

“Falling wine sales represent not just a problem for the industry, but perhaps also for society.”

 

The article suggests wine consumption is being affected by decreased socialization, with fewer people making time to talk face-to-face to actual people.

 The Semafor newsletter referenced an article from The Economist magazine in which they suggest that health consciousness is one driver of the decline in wine consumption (they suggest a crisis in the industry), but more significantly a “fraying of the social fabric” and the related decrease in socialization. The magazine states “we Increasingly live and eat alone.”

(https://www.economist.com/international/2026/01/15/falling-wine-sales-reflect-a-lonelier-and-more-atomised-world)

Are We Less Skilled in Social Interaction?

Some studies indicate that increased screen time has strong linkage to adverse health outcomes.  See this Center for Disease Control article from 2025

https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/24_0537.htm

How to Improve Social Skills

Are people interested to improve their social skills? Improved social skills “mean you can connect with other people in ways that feel meaningful, respectful, and clear. This is important, as our relationships shape so much of how we experience life.”

https://blog.calm.com/blog/improve-social-skills

For a summary, the article suggests;

1.   Focus on listening, not performing

2.   Use body language to signal openness

3.   Practice grounding techniques before or during social moments

4.   Learn to tolerate pauses

Communication is a Skill

Skills require practice. The skill may be social graces, public speaking, writing, hitting a golf ball, and on and on. Knowledge alone will not make the skill strong. 

Skills require practice.   

It appears to me that for much of society the screen held inches from one’s face is more interesting than a person sitting nearby. Or perhaps the screen observer simply lacks the skills, and confidence, to engage.    

 I plan to encourage more face-to-face interactions in 2026.