The Unconnected Society

Today's technology companies all advertise the same. That with their products and services they are bringing us all together and that we are eventually more happy, since we can keep track of what is going on in the lives of those we care about. Is it?

I don't think so. I believe there wasn't obviously any concertated plan to turn our daily routines into some sort of hybrid cyborg living. This is just companies doing what they do best, that is, money. Nothing against that, I try to do it myself. The thing here is, we have accepted that what I call, "The Unconnected Society", is now a living standard and we are okay with it.

If you give it a closer look, you can easily see that everything these days is designed in a way you don't have to move yourself. In a way you don't need to leave the doorstep to see things. To see people. To interact. See how the word interact today has a conotation much more related to technology than with human relations. You interact with an iPad or an iPhone, you don't interact with your mother right? Speaking of your mother, try to remember how many times you say "I phoned my mother today" in instance of "I was with my mother today". I assume the phone calls, texts or emails are in bigger number than the physical presences. Same goes for friends and acquaintances. You may argue it's lack of time, since your life is so busy, and I can accept that argument to some extent, but from what I see from the less busy people, the behaviour is very similar.

Today, I can simply turn on my tablet and use Google to travel the world as I wish. Same goes to see artwork and museums. Download a movie. See the news. Check what my friends did last night. Find out my sister in law has a cat. Skype a friend and talk about life.

My question is: isn't much more fun to actually travel instead of google mapping for an hour (travelling got inexpensive these days in case your computer didn't tell you about it)? Isn't it more fun to actually go to a real museum or art gallery? Isn't it more fun to actually go to the cinema? Isn't it more fun to go out with with your friends instead of seeing on Facebook what happened last night? And finally, tell me honestly, it is more fun to have real sex than Skype sex right? :-)

I have nothing against technology as I use it myself, but I believe it is important to be aware that rapidly we are taking steps to keep ourselves more and more distant from those who we really care about, with the false feeling that we are closer.

We need technology as we always did, but we don't need a machine to experience feelings such as love or friendship. For that, we just need to hit the shut down button more often. I'm doing it now and go kiss my girlfriend. For real. :-)