I recently received a very nice note from someone who reads my articles on Medium and wanted to share one that he found particularly interesting as we move further and further into technology and further away from personal conversations. In fact, right around the same time he contacted me I was reading this article on BuzzFeed called ‘Alienated, Alone And Angry: What The Digital Revolution Really Did To Us‘. This led me to revisit my original article, dust it down a bit and share it here as we rapidly approach the New Year.
It’s not what we know; it’s what we need to know.
Are we letting life slip away because we aren’t having authentic conversations in our lives? Are we paying attention to what we need and how we are growing in this dynamic world? Do you think there has been a time in history where we have had more at risk to our well-being and to the world at large? A current example is our having a government where it’s ok to shut it down for any reason. It seems to be a habit, a new negotiation technique. We have technology changing the business landscape so fast that it is a wonder whether humans will or can catch-up. Have you noticed what happens when clerks aren’t there to check us out at retail businesses? Instead, we use computers. One of the best parts of shopping can be quick, helpful interactions at the register with another human, a person who can actually help us as we chat together, learning something or putting smiles on our faces.
Are we becoming more and more accustomed to the idea and the reality of less human interaction? We text more and call to converse less. Did you know that texting your friends is WORSE for your mental health than being alone? This article posits that combining digital and face-to-face socializing is not as enjoyable as putting down the phone and just spending time together.
With e-mail and text, we also tend to be less articulate.
- Are we more comfortable not confronting what is going on both personally and at a national level?
- Are we accepting changes where we previously might have engaged others to understand what was happening?
- Are we hesitant to exercise our right and need to be informed and part of the process?
During the last Presidential elections, people found themselves in conflicts with friends, associates, and relatives over the election process; it is estimated that some of these relationships faltered because of anger and emotions. Necessary authentic interactions/conversations did not happen. Lines in the sand appeared, keeping us from engaging others, causing us to avoid issues and situations where we do need to participate.
Having true conversations means that there could be more points of discussion in our lives than ever before, maybe more important, too. Do we ever truly talk about the integral concepts and realities of subjects like Fukushima, immigration, homelessness, climate change, AI, family life changes, our political system, population growth, water? The list goes on. And don’t forget about our personal challenges. Do we back off? Do we draw that line that says I’m not open to having a discussion? And, in so doing, do we relinquish our right to know more, to gather information, to explore and dialogue with others in a constructive way? Do we lose touch with those around us who can add new perspectives, come up with other ways to see through to our next steps for a better future (whether 5 minutes or 5 years), to make course corrections that truly create a better world? Do we?
Where are you? Are you willing to dig in on subjects, make a difference, know a friend better and know a situation in a more comprehensive way? Are you able to build more inclusive, peaceful groups of people, for the good of all? Are we building a world we want/need or a world someone else wants us to have?
It all starts with a conversation.
Are you ready?
Put down that communication device and connect with others to begin having more effective conversations now.
The original Medium Article can be read here.