Endless and hollow communication.
Today, we live in a world where we feel more interconnected than ever. Contacting someone on the other side of the world is no big deal. However, with a bit of analysis and reflection, I noticed that many of us live in a virtual world even though social networking sites make us feel like we are communicating more than ever before and that we exist. I am one of those people who find it hard to believe.
I used to think that living in a small town limited our minds and made us numb; I’m referring to the onlookers and the gossip it generated, for lack of anything better to do. Having lived the experience, I fully agree with the adage “you always think the grass is greener elsewhere”. Moreover, the new communication tools encourage us to stay at home after commitments such as work, shopping, etc. Unconsciously we create a great cage around us. It is hard to see because we may still be bathed in the light of the outside world and look through what is happening.
Coming back to the issue of communication, I believe that living in a big city worsens the situation. We have so much space around us, and admittedly, every time we have several possibilities, we find it hard to choose. I mean, we become even more individualistic and lose the will to approach people around us. So we reassure ourselves to be open thanks to social networks.
Our mobile phone is our best friend, the one without which life would be bitter. We are more attached to it than to human beings. We think it is the one that saves us from danger. We feel sorrier about dropping or breaking our phone than about offending others. After this statement, I think you get the point I’m trying to make.
The irony is that when you are not reachable directly, people resent you and consider you antisocial. This reflection has raised a question about whether it is not conforming to the majority’s way of doing things or seeking the real thing that puts us on the sidelines?
We think we are in constant contact with the rest of the world but completely forget to be in touch with ourselves. How can we offer something to others that we do not possess? It may sound strange, but with a bit of hindsight, you will see that most of the time, we are illogical in our choices and that there is no connection between what we want and how we go about getting it.
Our parents can’t repeat enough the phrase “we were fine before”; “the world is in trouble”; and I would say that “we choose to be fine now”; “the world is in transition, and we need to be aware of it”. Each era has its pros and cons. By taking time to pause and question ourselves, we can not only determine where we need to improve, but we can also work on it and come up with something better until the cycle is over.
This post is for anyone who loves social networks, smartphones, and golden cages, but also for those who are called “old school”; “nerdy” because after all, it takes all kinds to make a world, and so it’s about finding the right balance so that everyone can find their way in this world.
By Jdm
