>Do you know why it annoys you? Have you ever tried to get someone's attention when they are electronically engaged? Because the electronic interaction is pass

>Do you know why it annoys you? Have you ever tried to get someone's attention when they are electronically engaged? Because the electronic interaction is passive, the engaged party mistakenly believes that they can divide their attention between you and the device. They often can't. Since it's difficult to gauge how fully engaged they are, you are often left wondering whether they are actually listening to you. Trying to interact with an electronically engaged person is extremely frustrating, and I feel sorry for my wife who has tried to have many a conversation with me while I stared at a computer screen. It's fine to be together and do independent activities side-by-side, as long as that's the agreement. My wife often watches TV in the same room where I am using my laptop just for the proximity, but we never consider it quality time. In fact, I'd say those sessions often leave us feeling more urgent about spending time together. A by-product of physical proximity is evaluation of interaction. If I meet a friend for a meal or a drink, I want to interact, not gather up the leftover crumbs of attention. And, to head off an argument I've heard before, I'll say that it's not the same as if a third party dropped by during our visit. That at least has the possibility of a conversation among the three of us. I might think it rude if my friend did not introduce me, and I would certainly think it rude if my friend spent most of our time together talking to this third person without introducing me.