Wherever I look nowadays there’s a comment, a report, a Facebook
posting or a film denouncing how people seem to have forgotten to interact with others more physically and therefore, emotionally. It is hard to look around and
not see that indeed. In fact, people really seem to dedicate more attention to
their smartphones than to friends next to them.
However, is this behaviour a consequence of an abusive use
of social networking or this use has just made evident what was not so noticeable
before? Over 20 year ago when I moved myself to Europe I started working as a
waiter. Saturday’s mornings always caught my attention because I could see
couples simultaneously having their breakfast while they were densely reading a weekly
paper and curiously, I could not see or hear any kind of interaction between
them for all the time they spent in there. The same also happened in other
days, with other types of relationships, where books, crosswords, magazines and
sometimes even nothing looked like more interesting than talking to each other.
I believe that there is a powerful social construct selling out
the exaggerated notion that relationships should be a constant exchanging between
people; a system from where people get to complement one another while within
this constant exchanging there’s mutual compensation, which ends up fulfilling
each individual. However, it also seems a bit claustrophobic to me. I can see
all the benefits that come from it though, but I can also point out enough
material serving as justifying argument or as accountability regarding personal
agendas.
The point for me is: There’re as many people stuck in their smartphones
as there can be found in bars, discos, shopping centres, or public squares and they
all are interacting to others. Whoever likes a party just likes it, and this kind
of person would never prefer watching an event through a miniscule screen instead
of going to see it live! Whoever enjoys a nice face to face chat will never hold
much dependency on WhatsApp! However,
let’s think about the people that was never much popular, or those highly shy that
used to go to the movies by themselves just to go back home later to a book.
Think about how these people have never had the chance to say to anyone how
they really feel. Social networking brought life, ideas, possibilities, lessons,
inspirations and so much more to these people.
The thing is that we will find loads of narrow minded people
out there, pseudo intellectuals not able to see further than the obvious common
views by which they love to promote themselves. Of course that social network
via communications technology did impact our lives and of course there are pros
and cons. But there is such a fuss upon people that really don’t need anyone looking
out for them! The excessive use of social networking comes from its own easy
access and it is not an indicative of lesser life quality.
Nevertheless, for me, this phenomenon is just an extension
of this backward stimulus that inspires a constant looking back type of behaviour,
where people develop discourses comparing how childhood used to be in the 80’s
related to now. They cynically, sarcastically, and ironically insinuate that the
current knowledge that we have built up upon observation and research is
nothing more than pedantry. They love narrating how ‘normal’ these children grew
up to be despite of their childhood being devoid of all the current supporting
laws and health and safety normative as we know it today.
We are about seven billion of people in the planet with a
very long history to tell, but for all that matters, we have a spatial lab navigating
all the way through Saturn and we also have landed another one on a moving comet,
which is enough evidence that what we have been building up can lead us
somewhere better. This insistent looking back behaviour is a huge anchor in society
life and it is also very disrespectful at our own evolving trajectory. It is
the same kind of principle underlying attitude that cut off human being’s freedom,
that punishes differences, and that incarcerate those who dare to question or show
new directions.
As suggestion, try to think more deeply and with more reflection
about whatever you are about to share in your social network. Remember that prejudice,
ignorance, fundamentalism, and abusive behaviour are all ‘friends’ in their own
social network and they are often connected and connect matters that in a first
glimpse they don’t seem to relate to each other.
I wish you all an excellent week of social interaction.
Eduardo Divério.
No comments:
Post a Comment