I recall visiting a friend in his home for the first time. He greeted me warmly, and we walked into his den. The first thing I noticed was the forty-two-inch HDTV on the wall. Its screen flashed a colorful and precise image while the surround-sound speaker system delivered crisp highs and a chest-thumping bass line.

Because I hadn’t come over to watch a sporting event or movie, I assumed he would turn off the TV, or at least mute the sound while we talked. Instead, his head swiveled back and forth as he gazed at the TV and glanced at me. After a few minutes, I concluded he didn’t want to talk, and so I gave up trying and waited until the next commercial to slip away.