It has become something of a cliché to observe that modern technology is eroding our ability to hold meaningful conversations, and (0) YET there is a growing body of evidence to support this claim. Studies have shown that the mere presence of a smartphone on a table — whether it is 1 used or not — can significantly reduce the quality of face-to-face interaction. So deeply 2 we become accustomed to communicating through screens that many people now find sustained eye contact uncomfortable. 3 was once regarded as a basic social skill — listening attentively, responding thoughtfully, tolerating silence — is increasingly being lost. Little 4 most people realise how much of communication is non-verbal: subtle shifts in posture, fleeting facial expressions, and the rhythm of turn-taking all convey meaning that no text message, 5 elaborate, can replicate. Were we to devote even a fraction of the time we spend on our devices 6 practising the art of conversation, the benefits would be considerable. It is not so 7 that technology is the enemy of good conversation as that we have allowed it to become a substitute for genuine effort. Whether 8 not this trend can be reversed remains to be seen.