If you really think about it, if you just keep your two cents to yourself then you'll always have at least two pennies to rub together. (Aren't idioms fun?) Does that explain why staying out of fruitless debates can contribute to an overall state of emotional well-being? I mean no one wants to be dodging flack just because they have an "unpopular" opinion. Like the opinions we have about teaching kids to recognize and respect authority figures. That's what we're talking about. It's amazing what you can learn about someone just by talking to them.

Quoth Frodo. But this isn't the shire.. We're talking about that in-vogue social anxiety "FOMO," or the fear of missing out. While we're at it, we're also kind of talking about "FOBO," the fear of better options. Then there's "JOMO," the JOY of missing out, and even what we've coined "FODO" - the fear of disappointing others, and all the other acronyms social media amplifies to keep us from feeling mentally well-adjusted. It's amazing what you can learn about someone just by talking to them.

You can't deny that some people use their devices as a crutch. Heck, some of us right here do. Sometimes the phone can be a distraction from real life, and other times it can be a means of comfort and connection. But it's undeniable that the attention paid to these screens can get out of hand, even to the point of obsessive. That's what we're talking about. It's amazing what you can learn about someone just by talking to them.