Recently I attended a professional seminar that featured many wonderful speakers. The topics were invigorating and inspiring and I was absolutely honored to be in attendance. However, at the start of a fresh lecture, just as I found comfort in my plushy seat, I gradually began to feel—distracted. It was a bit difficult not to feel this way, given the peppering of white electronic auras throughout the vast auditorium. I was appalled.

A suited gentleman seated just one row in front of me boldly cracked open his laptop, click-clacking an email back to headquarters. A woman two seats to my immediate left chuckled at her Blackberry as it whispered one-liners to her. A man to my right kept flapping his cell phone open then shut, open then shut, partly in fidgety play and partly to impatiently check the time on its digital face. As all of this occurred, I felt my focus pan out and analyze not the speaker’s words, but the actions of the other “professionals” in my company. I was embarrassed for each and every one of them, but I bet you that they were so self-unaware that they did not even notice my stares that spoke volumes to their deaf eyes.

If I was so distracted from my little seat amongst hundreds, I can only imagine how distracted and discouraged the speaker was— perched up on the stage, watching rude audience members deliberately and so obviously zone her out. Honestly, if I were in her position, I would have addressed each and every one of the perpetrators via the microphone, exiling them from their velvety seats so that they could take care of their oh-so-important, better-than-thou business elsewhere. Have we all forgotten some very elementary rules in manners? Or does technology rewrite the rules?

My point is simple. In this electronic age we feel the need to be plugged in almost constantly, but we must always remember that there is an off button. There are reasons why we are asked to turn our devices off before entering theatres and auditoriums. Just because you are on “vibrate” or “silent” mode does not mean that you are invisible to others around you, including those on stage. So, please power off!

About The Author: ahardin

Ashley Hardin is Publishing Coordinator at Ivy House Publishing Group. She graduated from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2006 with a degree in English Professional Writing. During her time at Slippery Rock, she authored a guidebook about her alma mater. Today, Ashley’s passion for the written word is a constant catalyst in her mission to assist independent authors in fulfilling their publishing dreams. Through her knowledge of language, communication, and current trends in the publishing industry, Ashley assists authors every step of the way in creating marketable, successful books of all genres. By authoring Ivy House’s quarterly newsletter, “Author’s Corner,” Ashley continues to share her publishing wisdom and marketing insight with the writing community. Ivy House continuously accepts unsolicited manuscripts of all genres. If you are interested in having your work evaluated, or just want to say hello, Ashley can be reached at ahardin@ivyhousebooks.com.

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