It used to be something you said before you engaged an occupied person.

While even asking the question was an interruption, you were at least acknowledging they were in the midst of a task that required their focus. After all, if they weren’t giving you their full attention when you walked in, there was their senses were occupied elsewhere.

Today, we seem to be moving away from even being remotely apologetic about interrupting a person.

Interruptions have become so ubiquitous, thanks to our devices, we just assume it’s okay to interrupt a person who is focused elsewhere. There’s not even a lead-in, or statement of intent, just an assumption it’s okay to steal their attention.

We’ve gotten used to fake attention (in the form of likes, thumbs up and other approval icons) that we assume all the attention should be on us. After all, if we’re getting it on-line, it means we must take priority in our daily lives.

There has been much discussion about the virtual world and real world merging together.

I think we’re getting close… just in a way we didn’t imagine.