From a small statistical sample of people I meet every day in public transport when going to and back from work, I can say that almost everyone looking at the phone is either texting or IM-ing (Facebook Messenger/Snapchat), and if not they're usually on Facebook (which I'd still classify as mostly communicating). Usually the only person I with a game on I can spot is myself playing Ingress, because the city centre is full of portals ;).
And in general, looking at my life and the life of my friends, cow-orkers and family, people are communicating hell and a lot more than they used to.
If anything is a problem, it's maybe not lack of but too much human interaction. People don't find time to think for even few minutes anymore, because there's always someone texting you, chatting to you or some interesting post to comment on.
There's a 9 year gap in age between my ex and I. One of the big differences between us is that while I'm addicted to my phone too, I don't tend to use it to send messages much. Unless I have agreed to be somewhere by a specific time, I won't text to say I'm late, for example. I won't fret about not hearing from someone. I think that difference to great deal is down to growing up with and without a cellphone - I was 20 when I got my first one, and it was another couple of years before I used it much outside of business calls.
I'm used to expecting hours and hours of "radio silence" from people even if they're late, or I'm late, because when I was a kid calling meant having to know where they'd be, and getting to a phone booth or somewhere I could borrow a phone. She grew up being used to being always contactable and able to contact.
I would count img as entertainment. Just read over some peoples shoulders.
I think you shared my point, that too much communication starts to be superficial. Subway is a undisturbed time, where reading news or books can be done. Indeed, if you want to communicate in a meaningful way, it makes sense to reload information from time to time.
> that too much communication starts to be superficial
Yes, I agree with that. I actually start thinking about clustering communication types in different ways that it is usually done. I'd say that writing paper letters, writing e-mails and even commenting on discussion boards or places like HackerNews are one type of communication, while face-to-face talk, phone call, texting and IM-ing is the other type (and of course IRC would be grouped with going to a bar).
One type of communication gives you time to articulate your thoughts and reflect on what you have to say. The other is about tight feedback loop, back-and-forthing little bites of thought and emotion. Both types are of course useful and important, but I'm starting to feel that the perceived "superficiality" of communication is people talking too much with each other, and not writing enough letters. Too much human warmth, not enough time to think.
Sure, our technology is a facilitator of this problem. But the nature of the problem is different than usually portrayed.
People are terrified of silence and lone time. Sadly this is what people actually need.
Challenge any of you to just leave your phone in the house on a Saturday and drive to a park and walk for 2 hours and on the way stop at some nice spot and sit alone for 20 minutes. You'll be shocked at how you feel mentally.
