Cell (oh c'mon it's more like a pocket computer now) phones and love life.
Remember that song Video Killed The Radio Star (Not to mention the sort of awesome music video)? Well, Cellphones killed Dating. Courtship. And other things. Like the drop-by. I'd venture to say that cellphones, or maybe more accurately texting, even killed good interpersonal conversation in general. I read this great Op-Ed piece in the NYTimes last week that actually left me a bit unnerved about the state of relationships, not just romantic ones, in the 21st century. David Brooks likens our current method of finding relationships to an Ebay auction and that as a result of technology it makes "...it easier to jump from one option to another, [where] you will naturally adopt the mentality of a comparison shopper. It also seems to encourage an atmosphere of general disenchantment." Wow. That sounds like it sucks. How did we get here?
I used to be much better on the phone, but with the onslaught of available methods of communication not requiring me to open my mouth (though may induce an early onset of arthritis from typing around 100 wpm), it kind of seems like talking is becoming antiquated. Yes, people still talk--but very few are fluid or eloquent in their speech. I think the art of strong verbal communication is being lost in a way as a result of people not having live, in depth, face to face conversations. One could argue that people are less inhibited behind a screen to say what they are really thinking or feeling, but I feel like it's an excuse for people that are afraid of making bold statements or opinions and the repercussions that come along; in other words the fear of not being liked and having that more strongly associated with your image. On the relationship front in terms of conversations, I think we've gotten more awkward. We almost feel more comfortable behind a screen than we do in person; yes, I think you finally reach a point where it doesn't matter and face to face interaction is no longer weird--but I think initially when we meet people, we have trouble knowing what to say since we've said all we want to say on our FB profiles. More on this later...but those are thoughts for now...what do you think?
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But I did have a theory I was writing (and saving for Monday) about that as a result of having all of our information out there, we are then inclined to create new experiences with those we interact with in social media on a daily basis therefore making us more apt to be out and active and not hermits.
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