Web 2.0 etiquette,,,,,,Yeah Thats Right.....Manners

So I haven't been on my soapbox for a while(too much work...so little time). So I thought I would pass along some advice that I read about in a recent Baltimore Sun Article "Had enough texting? Invoke Flesh Rule" I know I am supposed to be blogging about how Web 2.0 technology is changing the way the world works for the better.....well lets talk about how it's changing it for the worse. The article authored by Janet Gilbert details how we technologically advanced humans have forgotten about the "Flesh Rule"....and for those of you with fiendish grins....get your mind outta the gutter.

The Flesh Rule states that when engaging in any social, business or leisure activity, you should always give the person who is physically present your full attention. In other words, the person in the flesh rules - not the person on your cell phone, your BlackBerry or your iChat.

It seems these days that people are forgetting how to communicate face to face. They'd rather the only face they see is the little shiny panel of their Iphone or CrackBerry.

It can happen, especially in a world where there are so many ways to be in contact with geographically distant people, thanks to cell phones, PDAs, e-mail, Facebook and Twitter.

Janet seems to have the same opinion I have about going to far with new tech and social media technologies. She states that she sees violations of the Flesh Rule all the time. Here are a couple of examples that she has had experience with

•You enter a fast-food restaurant. On your way to the counter, you notice a parent talking on a cell phone while distributing meals to two children under age 5. Fifteen minutes later, the parent is still on the phone, while the children sit there like potted plants, only the human kind with little brains that can process the fact that they are being marginalized. Flesh Rule!

•You are at a party with a friend, Constance, who constantly sends text and photo messages to another friend, Missy, who had to miss the party. Flesh Rule!

•You are behind a person in the deli line who is talking on a cell phone about her mother's medical condition while ordering luncheon meats. You overhear, "Mom's gall bladder was about to - hold on, could I have that shaved? So, yeah, it was inflamed and - wait, could you slice from the rare end?" Flesh Rule!

•You are at a restaurant with a large group, and the person sitting next to you is text messaging between courses. In this case you may wish to add "Bon appetit" to your standard "Flesh Rule."

•You're speaking to someone in a work setting, and his "instant messenger" beeps. He apologetically excuses himself to attend to it, but becomes increasingly involved with the electronic interchange, holding up a finger to indicate "one minute." Flesh Rule!

Or how about when you are out at brunch and your friend whom you are with starts a fifteen minute text conversation about whether or not she should have worn her skirt because it is so nice outside. Flesh Rule!!!! Or if your at a tequila bar about to down $24 shots of Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila(the good stuff) and one of your boys nearly spills all the shots your carrying because he has his face plastered in a phone screen trying to send some stupid video text of the bar we are in to some girl who is in the same bar with us.......ahh hell with the Flesh Rule thats a SLAP Rule!!!! (Sorry, but recent events have me a little hyper these days).

I agree with Janet when she says:

I think we can agree that it's high time we incorporated the "Flesh Rule" reminder into our daily lexicon. If it's not too much trouble, perhaps we can also resurrect "please" and "thank you." But remember: "Flesh Rule" is not an aggressive phrase. It should always be spoken as a gentle acknowledgment, not unlike "God bless you." Because it's definitely not about disconnecting.

But I also think that saying it a little aggressively sometimes can drive the point home as well. Well me and the box are done.