Today’s culture is reliant upon technology. Think of the amount of words one says in a day vs. the amount one types. With each advancement, our culture moves backward socially. Should we embrace the change wholeheartedly or halfheartedly?

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Today’s culture is reliant upon technology. Think of the amount of words one says in a day vs. the amount one types. With each advancement, our culture moves backward socially. Should we embrace the change wholeheartedly or halfheartedly?

Think about the multitude of ways one stays connected. I’m not sure which is more to blame: the internet, texting, or smart phones. They are all interconnected and perpetuate the issue. The other night I started to think about the last time I had a telephone conversation or a serious face-to-face with someone that was not my best friend. I could barely recall.

I made a list of all the social networking tools and online communities that enable me to communicate electronically with others. The total count was nearing eight. That’s eight different public forums where anyone can read and see the mundane details of my mundane life.

That’s when it clicked. We as a culture are so in touch with the insignificant details of our social lives that ironically, we are losing touch with each other and ourselves. I have lived few days that someone has not read about on the internet. When I see my friends, someone makes a simple comment about any given topic, and someone else always responds, Oh, I saw that on Tumblr/Facebook/Twitter.

It’s a game of over analyze. Every word transmitted through fingers, keyboards, and screens, is a way to misinterpret someone as a person. You can spend fifteen minutes typing out a single sentence that may or may not have the same meaning on the opposite end. Who doesn’t create a superior online persona? When there’s time to think and put effort into our words and actions, it’s easy to make a better version of ourselves.

Modern technology is not the root of all of our social problems. Today’s culture is not worried about sentimentality or nostalgia. The culture is concerned with multitasking; being in one place while technically also being in seven other places. We over-share electronically because we are too petrified to do so face-to-face. At least we are sharing, right? I embrace the technology. It’s inevitable.

The real issue is finding a balance and maintaining moderation. One does not always have to rely on text messages or Facebook to reach out to others or share important news. It’s a great tool for those on the go and always staying connected, but keep in mind it’s not the only way.

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