I agree, and I think it’s due to the decline of executive cognition and the behavioral training of the TV generation. They believe the news, and grew up in a time when trust was aplenty.

My MIL in her 70s has been staying with us for the past month or so and her phone habits are bonkers. I rarely use my phone at home, have young kids that are small-screen free; so we tend to engage in conversations and activities during family time, or even just watch big-screens movies/TV as a family. The MIL is glued to the phone/tablet and constantly wants to talk to everyone about it like it’s a shared experience. “Who’s this lady in the photo with Janet?” Like we know or care, maybe ask Janet or just scroll on. Anyways I don’t criticize her directly but my wife has even become annoyed by it and I’ve asked her to have a etiquette conversation with her or give her feedback some way because I can’t stand it for another month lol.

Anecdata here but my 60-something year old mother acts like a sullen teenager around my kids/her grandchildren. She just scrolls endlessly on her phone until my father/her husband calls her out on it.

It's maddening and sad.

There aren't many things that can't wait an hour.

By notifications I mean the ones that aren't phone calls.

You know, the social media updates, the emails, the instant messaging that thinks it's more important than whatever you're doing.

Notification silencing can be selective and blissful.

Interruptions can be the enemy of productivity that everyone is chasing.