Connections

I was thinking about this last night and feel the need to blog about it. It's a bit of a moan so if you're not in the mood I completely understand.

I was watching a show last night that was set in modern Africa. In the office they didn't have any computers, email, cell phones, barely even a land line and I found myself wishing that things were still like that here.

I remember when I was living in England and going to school. My friend Nicole was the first person my age who got a cell phone. I remember wondering what the point was. You see everyone all day, why do you need to talk to them while walking to and from school?

Within about 2 month practically every other kid in the school had a cell phone. They were constantly been confiscated and I still didn't get the point.

Obviously now I've been using a cellphone for years. I practically have withdrawals when I'm away from the Internet for more than 12 hours and check my twitter and facebook so frequently I barely have time for anything else. And while all this technology is wonderful, and some people think it brings everyone together, I find it does the opposite.

When I worked briefly in London everyone was talking on their phones while on the train. You would never ever find someone sit down next to you and say "it's a bloody horrible day isn't it?" instead they'd dial their friend and scream into the phone "that was a brilliant party last night!"
(I was actually guilty of this once, not knowing how loud I was talking into my phone until the woman next to me said something...after that I was so mortified I tried not to use my phone on the train)

The tube was ever worse. You can't even use your phone down there and still no one talks to you. Everyone avoids eye contact like the plague, even though you're squished together so tight everyone's practically at second base with those surrounding them!

All this tech is causing us to forget how to interact with each other. You can't be in a store without someone being on the phone WHILE CHECKING OUT. I mean, not only is it rude on the most basic level, but you're not even interacting with people around you.

We wonder why people are doing online dating? it's because the days of guys coming up to you in coffee shops are over. No one does it any more. The last time I was stopped buy a guy on the street was to ask if I wanted to be a hair model (granted it was in London so he was probably going to sell me into slavery or something) but that was years ago.

And while it's all well and good to pledge to use your technology less and to spend more time in the "real world" it doesn't really help when you're the only one willing to do it.

I really don't know what the solution is, or even if there is one. Maybe try to talk to strangers more (if they don't look like homicidal maniacs of course)...you never know where it could lead.