Dear Big Daddy

Hey Big Daddy,
Is it me, or has common courtesy and etiquette taken a backseat to Blackberries and the need to check email 24/7? I’m tired of going to drinks with friends or spending an afternoon at the golf course with someone who can’t carry on a live conversation without corresponding with a third party.
–Annoyed in Altadena

Dear Annoyed in Altadena,
You are right to be frustrated with the rude behavior of your Blackberry-addicted friends. Unfortunately, this addiction isn’t just affecting friendships, it’s taking its toll on family relationships as well. Big Daddy has noticed a disturbing trend of constant communication that is, in fact, stifling real interpersonal relationships.

It is entirely incomprehensible how a person can sit across from you at lunch, and while you’re mid-sentence answering a question they asked of you, pick up their Blackberry and start reading email. While you’re talking to them!

Let’s be clear. Your friend doesn’t necessarily KNOW that anyone has sent him an urgent message that requires an immediate reply. He’s just hoping. Hoping that someone–anyone–somewhere in the world needs his advice or opinion immediately. In the world of instant electronic communication, we’re becoming a society dependent on someone or multiple persons wanting to talk to us all at once at any given time.

It is important to understand the nature of the bad behavior, so let