The above is a play on words of the famous 1960s slogan, “Let Your Fingers do the Walking,” for the Yellow Pages commercial business phone book.

Even today, with internet search engines, we still use our fingers to find information. However, while technology makes business transactions faster, it can negatively affect how we interact on a personal level—according to my mom, it comes at a high cost to meaningful communication.

“Even with all these devices and numerous communication channels, we talk less, and phone etiquette is a lost art.”
~A former 1960’s PBX555 switchboard operator. (my mom)

Less real interaction means fewer chances to practice empathy and humanity. Social media often feels hostile, which undermines true social networking.

So, if your livelihood depends on putting the network back together, like a switchboard operator, ensure the friendly voice on the line is yours.

After trading in my Blackberry Storm for an iPhone in 2013, I learned this lesson the hard way. My Blackberry was a perfect digital assistant, but wasn’t social, so I focused on maintaining my connections.

Once I got the iPhone, I spent so much time on social networks and iMessages that I didn’t want to take any phone calls.

My motto is, “If I wasn’t into you, you into me, or had something on me -we didn’t need to speak on the phone.”

If someone left a voicemail, I would reply with a text.

Unfortunately, my no-voice rule resulted in my virtual network growing at the expense of my real network’s shrinkage. When I deleted my Facebook account in 2014, I left hundreds of virtual friends behind— and very few of them traversed the digital world to join me in the real one. 5 years later, I’ve slowly built up my professional and personal network. Today, I spend hours on the phone interviewing subjects for features, brainstorming with prospects, or catching up with friends.

The best part is the satisfaction I get from these real conversations. They feel like in-person visits—spontaneous, authentic, and filled with laughter. By using my phone to connect, I revived valuable human interaction.

This brings to mind a saying in architecture: “less is more.” Interestingly, this minimalist approach also applies to communication technology, including even phones.

As Bell’s 1965 ad promotes:

“Long Distance, It’s the next best thing to being there.” [1]

This reflection prompts a lingering question about personal phone calls.

If someone calls you, is it to check up on you, or are they calling to talk about themselves?