The conversation at the table deserves attention that has not already been promised to every screen.

Attention is not infinite, and a phone on the table has already made a claim on yours. Even face down, it holds part of you in reserve for whoever might arrive next. The person across from you can feel the difference between being listened to and being listened to on standby. That difference is most of what makes a meal feel like company.

Put the phone somewhere else for the length of one meal this week, not as a rule but as an experiment. Notice how much longer the conversation runs. Most tables have more to say than they get the chance to.