I am howling into the autumn wind on this one, but can we all just put our smartphones down and talk to each other again? At least a little?

I am just as big an offender as anybody. In brief moments of self-awareness, I am appalled at how dependent I’ve become on my device. I check it, set it down, then, like an involuntary tic, find myself reaching for it again. Just writing the last two sentences reminded me that my phone is upstairs and I haven’t checked it since last night. I am literally forcing myself to stay in my chair right now, fighting the lure of that initial dopamine rush when I first see how many fresh likes I got on my last Instagram post.

I am ashamed to admit it but, pathetically, this is true: My thumbs are chronically sore from endlessly thumping out texts, replying to posts, and impulsive Google searches of completely unnecessary things that randomly pop into my head like, “Name of lead singer of Missing Persons.” 

It’s Dale Bozzio, by the way.

Our kids have become so dependent on their phones that there is a new app called “Pocket Points” that rewards students for simply staying off them during school hours with earned points for store discounts. There’s talk of a similar app so drivers stay off their phones—because sadly, the fact that it’s already dangerous and illegal apparently isn’t enough. 

I’m no Luddite. Of course I love the freedom technology allows and the almost limitless creative landscape it makes available. I also appreciate that we can instantly access literally every bit of knowledge mankind has ever collected, and all from the comfort of the bathroom—um, if that’s where you happen to be—but we’re trading something for it, like looking at each other. It took thousands of years of evolution to perfect non-verbal communication—body language, tone of voice, eye contact (hey, when my wife rolls her eyes at me, I know exactly what that means). But if we continue down this path, will wives in the future have to text their husbands an eye roll emoticon so he knows she’s mad he forgot to buy milk?

I know I’m starting to sound like cranky old “get off my lawn” guy. And I don’t mean to. But when two people are out to dinner and they’re not talking because they’re both looking at their phones, there’s a problem. When we pay hundreds of dollars on concert tickets and then watch the whole show through a tiny little screen, there’s a problem. When I have to tell my kid that maybe he should put down his phone and go watch some TV like I used to do (which I actually did), there’s a problem! 

And I’m not sure how to fix it, or if it even can be fixed. But let’s try this. When the family gets together this month for Thanksgiving, let’s put the phone away, at least for a little while. Let’s interact, talk, joke and argue...face-to-face and in the moment. OK, fine, take a few pictures, shoot a little video—we’d do that anyway—but let’s hold off on texting, Instagramming, Facebooking, Tweeting, Snapchatting or otherwise impulsively giving all our attention to our devices rather than each other. 

Unless you manage to catch Fun Uncle Carl taking one to the giblets in the annual backyard football game. Then by all means post that video to YouTube. It might go viral.

Catch Tom on the Pat and Tom Morning Show on New Country 105.1, email him at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter @kncitom.