I know that social media networks are amazing; we can follow world news at an instant and we’re hinged together in ways never before conceived possible. The goals of “being efficient and spending less time away from home” - while reducing a need to speak to one another? - seem to be a pretty big focus in today’s world. And of course I’m aware WHY; people have more piled onto their schedules than in years past; after school activities demand attention and parents need to cut down on hours they spend shopping instead of heading home after work. But still, it’s with a slight sadness that I read the articles below with a sense of loss, because I can feel those face-to-face conversations beginning to slip away. Old-fashioned, or just stuck in the past? Maybe I’m just worried that while automation is becoming increasingly popular, that we will soon just sort of shrink within ourselves and start viewing personal conversations as a burden.
“A new technology in stores now enables shoppers to scan and pay for their items without checkout lanes, registers, or cashiers.”
“Walmart is trying to make it easier to pick up online grocery orders. The retailer is testing a giant self-service kiosk in the parking lot of a supercenter, where customers can pick up online grocery orders without interacting with employees”.
You already know violence is on the increase across our world today, and how many times have you heard an individual described as “the guy who was always a loner”, or the student “who never talked to anyone”? Are we crafting a world of separation which serves to compound the issues some struggle with - and don’t you wonder that if we DID still talk to one another, if things might be any different? What if the lack of personal connections are going hand in hand with mental health issues, addiction and depression - are we then simply watching people breaking down the more we upgrade? I’m coming to resent the suggestions that less communication is better, but yet we continue to embrace what is becoming our new normal.
I refuse to celebrate losing the opportunity to visit a local business, running into the neighbor down the street because I HAD to climb out of my car. I will NOT give up enjoying a chat with the friendly store owners whose’s restaurant supports so many fundraisers in the community, because dang it, I CARE about them. Further reflection makes me wonder; if we don’t support that entrepreneur and their diner, how will they remain IN business to provide that community support? I’m just not sure I’m okay with continuing to carve so much out of our daily lives……
