How to kill community

I sat down in the auto service customer waiting room. Three others were there. Two of them were women who talked with each other about local news, Christmas shopping, weather and road conditions. I had brought "Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot" (second time through) and hoped to read some. Of course, there was a television set in the room, but it was turned off. An employee walked in and said, "We've got to get the TV on in here." He found the remote and fired up the box. The easy comfort in the space evaporated. Conversation stopped, reading became more difficult and focus (more like blank stares) turned from people to whatever was passing for news and entertainment. If only one of us had stopped him. We might have kept community going for a bit longer. One of the best pieces of coaching I ever heard was, "You just can't any better watching TV."