During a speech to university students in Rome on Friday, Pope Francis told the audience that using our phones during dinner can lead to war.
“When there’s no dialogue at home, when we’re at the table and instead of talking everyone is on their phone … it’s the start of war, because there is no dialogue,” the pontiff said.
It may seem like an exaggeration, but his logic makes sense. It also extends well beyond family dinners. If we’re engrossed in our phones instead of communicating, misunderstandings are more likely to arise. And it’s all too easy for misunderstandings to lead to conflict. Just ask anyone who’s ever tried to tell a friend or family member something important while that person is clearly scrolling through Instagram.
Next time you’re tempted to take out your phone when you could be communicating in real life, remember the Pope’s words.
Read more about the Pope’s remarks here.
Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com