THE EAGLES WERE RIGHT

A few weeks ago, my wife and I went down to BrewDog for a beer school. While we were waiting, I noticed a group of about a dozen young people sitting at a table (probably late 20s, early 30s). They looked like a decent crowd, but something was missing. They weren't having the crack like you'd expect. And then I noticed that at least half of them were on their mobile phones.

What is the point? What is the fucking point of going out with your mates and then spending half the night on your phone?

To me, if someone sits down at a table – in the pub or in a restaurant – and then pulls out their phone, I find it the absolute height of discourtesy. What they’re saying, in effect, is there’s something or someone more interesting than you on this phone.

When I was the age of this crowd at the table in BrewDog, we had the crack! We didn’t realise we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun. And do you know what it did? It cemented our friendships, so that 40 years on, although many of us travelled the world and got up to all sorts of scrapes, we’re still great friends to this day. When we meet it's as though we haven't skipped a beat. All of us have a very rare and exceptional connection. It’s pure magic.  

Isn’t that something?

But in 40 years’ time this crowd at the table in BrewDog won’t be saying that, I can guarantee you, because they’re missing out on the opportunity to create true lasting friendships.

Their choice, I suppose ....

Copyright © Karl Wiggins