In a recent letter to Miss Manners, a reader expressed frustration with friends who multitask during phone calls, leading to distracting background noise and a lack of focus during conversations. The reader shared examples of friends engaging in activities like walking, playing chess, and even arguing with others while on the phone. While the reader acknowledged being guilty of this behavior as well, they expressed a desire to find a way around this modern habit.
Miss Manners agrees that while we are all guilty of multitasking, some are better at disguising it than others. She suggests that phone calls with excessive background noise or interruptions are not as successful as multitaskers may think. To address this issue, she recommends offering to call back or meet in person to have a more focused conversation. Ideally, this conversation would take place indoors and away from distractions like traffic noise.
Overall, Miss Manners emphasizes the importance of giving someone your full attention during a conversation, whether on the phone or in person. She invites readers to send their etiquette questions to her through various channels, including email and postal mail. By addressing these issues of multitasking and distractions during phone calls, Miss Manners aims to foster better communication and etiquette in relationships.
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