HOW TECH IS LEAVING US LONELY

WE ARE LOSING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE….HUMAN CONTACT.

BY JURELL SCOTT ARTWORK JAMAAL HALE

Aristotle once said humans are social animals. We are meant to build families, be involved with the community, and create relationships with other people. Walking down the street and greeting someone you’re passing by may not seem like much, but the little interactions matter. We thrive in the company of others. The evolution of technology has done wonderful things for mankind, but you can have too much of a good thing. As people have become more accustomed to technology, we are losing an important part of the human experience.

After the pandemic, people began finding ways to be productive in their own space. Virtual meetings, virtual events, virtual interviews were not a temporary thing since we still use them today. Businesses decided to close down their offices and have employees work from home. Some people are hired out of the country and never meet their coworkers. In the past, people have made friends at work, events, clubs, the Saturday market, etc…. I can’t imagine not meeting some of the friends I now have because an event was virtual or because I only worked from home. dies). The majority of their time is spent alone but that doesn’t mean they refuse to spend time with others. As an introvert with multiple introverted friends, we still do our share of spending time with others.

People can go days without talking with someone in person. Think of this: people can shop online, have food and groceries delivered to their doorstep, work from home, and chat with Artificial Intelligence. There is texting, phone calls, and FaceTime, but that isn’t the same as an in person conversation. You can’t read body language, hug, or shake hands (you can’t even see the fresh kicks).

You might be asking, “Well, what about introverts?” Introverts prefer alone time, but they will hang out with friends or attend social gatherings (until their social battery

As we move forward, it is important to recognize the era we’re living in while understanding what we need as human beings. Having Zoom meetings and Skype calls is better than nothing, but it won’t fulfill our social needs. It is important for people to spend time with one another even if that’s only enjoying each other’s company. Don’t allow the ease of having everything on your porch with one touch of a button stop you from going outside (beyond your porch of course). Now I’m not saying “never order online” or “delete all social media” because those things have benefits. I want people to understand the importance of being in each other’s presence. We are social creatures after all.