Our forms of communication these days are all about instant gratification and the here and now. I think that is what I find annoying about social media platforms. I mentioned this the other day to my husband and he said that, in a way, it's quite fascinating to know that in 20 years a relative could theoretically access old Facebook posts or tweets and read them.When I rolled my eyes in disgust, he just replied that it's no different than reading through old diaries from my long deceased relatives.
Think about that. Tweets as a link to the past. Our silly musings might one day give insight to who were were at a very specific point in our lives. A diary can pinpoint a day or year, but rarely will you find one with a time-stamp. If my nieces ever have children, those kids could find out exactly how their moms acted when they were fifteen years old. Maybe they could find that at fifteen, their mothers really did have the same problems in high school.They could read about it instead of having a horribly awkward conversation that would undoubtedly end with the child storming out of the room. I know that if I had the technology I would enjoy abusing the privilege of getting to know my parents without having to talk to them or beg my grandparents for stories.
That lack of a face to face conversation is what fuels my general dislike for Facebook and other social platforms. It's fake interaction. I can know everything about my sister without ever having to pick up the phone and talk to her. In an age where people seem to share everything at any moment, they are also losing out on the personal interactions. Sending texts may constitute a conversation, but it's a poor excuse for one. A conversation is more than just text. Body language, the inflection on certain words, the tone of one's voice. These are what really make a conversation personal and memorable. For example, I can remember sitting around the wobbly table in my Aunt's tiny kitchen, laughing and talking about old radio shows like The Shadow. I remember the cigarette smoke, cold glasses of Pepsi and the sounds of their parakeet tweeting out commands to the dog. There are sounds, emotions, even smells that trigger the memory of this specific interaction. But I can't recall what my Aunt wrote in an email to me two weeks ago.
It my be a poor example, but the idea still holds water. I feel that actual face to face interactions are far more important, yet less likely to be had these days.
When I moved into my own house, I decided that I'd like to keep in touch with my younger brother in the same way we had when both of use were gainfully unemployed. Not to exclude my parents who live nearby, my mother of which would be insanely hurt if I had a conversation with my brother and didn't tell her, I started a weekly family dinner night. Every Friday night, the family members I enjoy the most were invited over for dinner that my husband would cook. I'd help too if I had the time. It was a humble gathering around a dinner table sharing a meal and our stories from the week. Corny? You bet! But I found that it filled a sense of belonging that I generally find lacking in my life. I see my folks nearly every day, but visiting with them in a different situation opened up my eyes and ears to conversations that we most likely would not have had otherwise.
I should note that neither my brother nor his wife are involved in any social media platforms other than e-mail. He is one of the few people in my family who I need to reach by phone or just stopping over by his house. I do text him from time to time, but he often misses the texts until after I've already called him.
I supposed that I'm just showing my age. While I'm all for technological advances, I don't want to lose touch with reality completely.
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