Has the Art of Conversation Been Lost Due to the Electronic Age?

I wonder if people have forgotten the true meaning of having a conversation because email, twitter, foursquare, You Tube or texting. To me, these forms of communication have taken the spotlight off the interaction between people and have made it about the clever stylings of one person.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a person who can be clever or convey a situation in 140 characters, but sometimes these individuals have forgotten how to put on their listening ears and fall flat with other human beings.

I know everyone is not a good listener, BUT, if you stop over talking others, OR, actually listen to another human being, I wouldn't have to constantly remind or re-educate you on topics we've discussed many times before. I'm not sure if the electronics' age has led to the downfall to the art of conversation, but I believe it may just exacerbate it. I wonder if people are more concerned having their voice heard instead of interacting with others because the new forms of communication force into us a role of stating something poignant.

I don't know.

What I do know is this: If you ask me a question, don't pretend to listen to me, actually listen.

I just hope the electronics' age hasn't replaced the two-way street of conversation with one-way alleys of the soliloquy (yes, I am aware of the irony in writing about this in a blog, but I do allow people to comment and often comment on people's remarks).