(Note: This column appeared in the June 6, 2011 edition of the UVU Review)
I remember when I realized the world had changed. It was after watching a movie at my house, and I asked my cousin who she had been texting the entire time. The answer, “My boyfriend,” blew my mind because he had been sitting on an adjacent couch at the time.
“We were fighting,” she explained, then changed the subject, as if this were no major announcement. I brought her back. “Wait, what? You were fighting, through texts, while in the same room together?” She understood my question, but not the incredulity. “Yeah. So?”
It’s only three years later, but the onward march of technology has completely trampled my apparently archaic view of relationships. Call friends to catch up? Nah. Just look up their latest pictures on Facebook. Forget to set up a date with what’s-her-face for tonight? No worries bro. Just text her during physics class. Or better yet, post “Hey, let’s hang out!” on her Wall and wait for a response.
Shut-ins rejoice! We don’t need face to face communication anymore, just P2P. Right?
I once dated a girl who refused to share her feelings to my face, even when I tried to force it. “I feel uncomfortable,” she would grumble. Then as soon as I left her house, my phone would buzz with a text. “i had fun tonite thanks for dinner. sorry i cant talk about my feelings but i’m glad you tried” Yeah, that relationship went real deep, let me tell ya.
That’s the word that’s missing: depth. We have faster, farther reaching communication than ever before, but it’s all on the surface of our computer and phone screens. Although everything is moving forward in the world of technology, our relationships have taken a step back.
That’s right girlfriend. That guy you met, looked up on facebook, and have had regular technological contact with for the past few weeks? Sorry sister, but that’s going nowhere.
If we keep this up, the things that really matter in this world, our relationships, are going nowhere too.
