We all know how much the world has changed with the internet and cellphones. We couldn't live without them now. Imagine sitting down and writing a letter to someone instead of sending an e-mail, or, phoning someone instead of sending a quick Whatsapp message?
I remember the days when I wanted to phone a girl. The butterflies in my stomach. The dialling of her number, delaying the keying in of the final number, only to hang up straight after you've pressed it. Eventually, after half an hour of nerves, sweats and generally being a wreck, you're speaking to the girl and it's awesome.
These days, youngsters just WhatsApp or BBM each other, tweet or FB message each other. It just doesn't seem the same. Leaving messages for someone who isn't at home comes to mind as well. Phone up your mate, they're not home, so you leave a message and they phone you back. We never knew where the person was at the time and we didn't question it.
These days, we know what everybody is doing all the time. We see what they're doing on their Facebook page or by what they tweet. We see who their friends are, where they hang out, what books they like, what music they listen to. We get told that it's their birthday. We're updated as to everything in everybody's lives.
The point I'm trying to make is, the magic has disappeared. I know we can control how much people are able to see and we can limit how much we share and to whom, but it's still removing that little piece of what makes us, us. That little bit of sitting down face to face with someone and catching up. Or getting to know somebody the old fashioned way. Or revelling in the mystery of who that intriguing stranger might be. It's just become the, I'll check their Facebook and take it from there.
No more mystery.
I'm not at all saying that it's wrong, because I'm on Facebook and Twitter and do regularly check up on what everyone's up to, I'm just wondering if we're taking a bit away from the whole human experience. Replacing comments, retweets and likes with actual human interaction. Judging our popularity by how many people are following us. In that case, comment away - make me feel lank popular!
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