And I keep repeating: with the proliferation of IMs, those "zombies watching inside their screens" are likely engaged in a much richer social life than the generations before them. Smartphones and the Internet removed the impact of space and diminished the impact of time on communication. What do you think these "zombies" are doing with their screens? In a big part, they're talking to other people!
I can't even imagine having the conversations I have on social media with the people around me. Talking animals discussing kink gear at Pride. Julián Castro acknowledging trans people at the debate. Getting help and sharing information on a piece of software made by people on the other side of the continent (or planet). The rights of androids and holograms.
How do I even find a common language with people whose main activities are poker, racing, and sports? These are all fine activities, but I always want to go off and do anything else when I try to socialize locally. We don't click.
It's not like I was more interested in them before I had an always-on internet connection. Social media and the internet in general gave me an outlet and community for the things I was drawn to before the internet entered the picture.
Also, the obligatory photo: https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*U36hBj8i-C7JJJxS4....