No, we don't have WiFi; talk to each other!

But I don't want to talk to you; I don't even know you.

I've seen this picture (or a variation on it - this one seems to be the most common, though) posted on a variety of social networking websites (ironically) just recently.  Most people see it as 'striking a blow' against modern social norms of using smartphones and tablets in public instead of talking to people face-to-face - and they seem to love that.  I, on the other hand, think it's incredibly condescending.

Firstly, to suggest that technological advances (particularly WiFi and mobile internet) have had an adverse affect on social communication is patently absurd.  Sure, internet technologies have changed the nature of social interactions, but the fact is that people are now able to communicate more easily with more people more of the time.  It maybe that some people still prefer more 'traditional' interactions, but to suggest (as this sign seems to) that using WiFi and being a social human being are mutually exclusive is demonstrably false.

Most importantly, however, the tone of the sign seems very rude, to me.  It is each establishment's prerogative whether or not to offer WiFi access to patrons - but to put up a smug, moralising sign about it seems a little unnecessary.

So, you don't have WiFi available here?  Fine.  But sanctimoniously telling me that your lack of WiFi is somehow 'better', or 'for my own good', would definitely be a good way to put me off giving you my custom.

Happy Facebirthday!

So, yesterday was my birthday...  (I'm twenty-two; thanks for asking.)

As is normal in this day and age, I experienced a high volume of traffic on my Facebook profile, with plenty of friends and acquaintances dropping by to wish me many happy returns.  (I probably had more people talking to me on Facebook within the space of twenty-four hours, than I do in six months during the rest of the year!)

Of course, Facebook is in now, when it comes to communicating.  Some people would say that a message written on someone's Facebook Wall (sorry, Timeline) is less personal than a traditional birthday card, a handwritten note, or even a 'phone call - but we must move with the times, and personally, I still appreciate the fact that people have got in touch with me to wish me well on my birthday.  It's nice.

As I said, I really appreciate my friends' taking the trouble to speak to me on my birthday, and I always try to respond to each person who has done so.  However, it really irritates me when other people respond so impersonally to birthday wishes on Facebook.

I often notice other Facebook users displaying less gratitude to their friends, and simply posting a "one-size-fits-all" status update during the day, saying "thanks to everyone who has wished me a happy birthday!!"  No doubt they feel overwhelmed by the large amounts of people getting in touch with them, and feel it unnecessary to reply to each one individually - I'm sorry, but I don't agree, and I think if someone has taken the time to write you a comment, you can take the time to write them one back.

After all, it wouldn't look great if, on every day which is not my birthday, I just posted a status saying "happy birthday to anyone whose birthday it happens to be today!" instead of actually bothering to talk to my friends individually, would it?