28 MAY 2026.
A fascinating new study suggests modern society may literally be running out of conversation. Researchers from the University of Arizona and University of Missouri–Kansas City found that people have been speaking about 338 fewer words per day every year since 2005. By 2019, the average person was speaking roughly 12,700 words daily compared with nearly 16,000 in earlier years. (Phys.org)
The researchers believe the decline reflects the gradual disappearance of ordinary human interaction. Self checkout machines, GPS navigation, food delivery apps and digital communication have replaced countless tiny conversations that once filled daily life. Asking for directions, chatting with a cashier or making small talk with neighbors are all becoming rarer experiences. (Phys.org)
What makes the findings especially striking is that younger adults showed the steepest decline, losing more than 450 spoken words annually, though older adults also spoke less over time. Researchers emphasized that texting and social media may increase written communication but do not fully replace the emotional richness and spontaneity of real conversation. (Phys.org)
Some psychologists warn this trend could contribute to rising loneliness, anxiety and social fragmentation. Small interactions may seem trivial individually, but together they form the social glue that keeps communities connected. (Phys.org)
Ironically, in an age where humanity has more ways to communicate than ever before, many people may actually be talking less than at any point in modern history. The technology designed to connect society could also be quietly training people to avoid one another altogether. (Phys.org)
Study suggests people are losing 338 spoken words every year and have been for at least 15 years
In a society increasingly shaped by self-checkouts, GPS navigation and touchscreen ordering kiosks, new research shows face-to-face conversation may be quietly fading. A new study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science suggests that people are losing 338 spoken words every year and have been for at least a decade and a half.
=======================
At the legendary Music for Montserrat benefit concert, Mark Knopfler delivered a blistering performance of “Money for Nothing” alongside an all star lineup featuring Eric Clapton, Sting and Phil Collins. The concert, organized after the devastating volcanic eruption on Montserrat, became one of the great live rock collaborations of the 1990s. Knopfler’s unmistakable guitar tone, Sting’s vocals and Collins’ driving percussion transformed the performance into a powerhouse tribute blending virtuosity, nostalgia and charitable purpose in unforgettable fashion.
Mark Knopfler (Clapton, Sting, Collins) – Money for Nothing [Music for Montserrat ~ HD]
I thought it was time to upload this in better quality. Mark Knopfler performing a great version of “Money for Nothing” during “Music for Montserrat”, live from Royal Albert Hall, London – 15 September 1997.
