Technology has reshaped much of how the modern world communicates. But for all of the options available on our smartphones, humans still want in-person interactions. That’s something to remember at the holidays, as millions of Americans travel to spend time face-to-face with each other.
Thanksgiving, as much as it is about eating, is also about spending time with family and friends. Indeed, according to the American Automobile Association, more than 54 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving.
Clearly, most people have decided that despite the crowds and hassle of highways and airport security lines, getting together in person is worth the effort — Skype just isn’t a replacement for sitting around the table.
That’s in part because people still prefer to meet face-to-face. According to a new poll conducted by SurveyMonkey for Axios, 42 percent of respondents said that in-person was the best option for human interactions. The second most popular choice, texting, netted only 21 percent of responses. Social media scored even lower.
As easy as it might be to tune out your relatives or skip out on a little pre-dinner socializing by scrolling through your phone, it would be far better to take advantage of a ready-made social opportunity and connect with the real people around you. After all,Thanksgiving is a pre-scheduled, pre-planned gathering with plenty of good food — the kind of easy face-to-face interaction that we could all use a little more of in our lives.
Humans really do want to be around other humans. We say so on surveys and prove it by making showing up in person a priority over the holidays. Once we get there, why not actually make use of the time?
