Technological advances inevitably change the way we live. Gone are the days of letters, telegrams, journals, where waiting and anticipating were half of the fun. The value of time is increased to the nano second. No time should be wasted in waiting for the other person to tell you what he or she is thinking in writing. Text message service, emails, blackberry, push email replaced pull email. Skype eliminates traditional nation states boundaries, everyone is just a phone call away. Soon, time difference would become a concept irrelevant to our current ways of life.
How does this affect how we relate to other people? How is the modern relationship is shaped by technology? Interestingly enough, two of my close friends are on long distance relationships. Totally unplanned for; cross states, cross continent. I gave a long sigh when I heard about this. As happy as I am for them, I know that serious hard work is waiting for them.
LA-C had a few days of "technological-break-down-day" (... where every piece of technology you touch breaks down, hangs or simply won't work) trying to talk to J. Just to talk to him requires super effort on her behalf, mainly due to reasons she can't explain. She relies heavily on technology to keep the communication between them. Because you can't be talking on the phone forever, she must learn to be a good writer (... that, she naturally is...), to communicate her feelings and emotions, to light the words of her emails with passion and excitement.
VC-C learnt that the guy she is seeing is not a good communicator when not in person. Communication technology becomes useless. She would find disjointed words, and ignorance over the blackberry. But every time they see each other, magic happens and that keeps her going. It gives her a reason to take a chance.
I think in essence technology opens up new possibilities for people to be together. It doesn't always make it easier; love and relationship never is, but it can be the next best thing. It can help to make the relationship interesting. You can show the other person your bedroom. You can hear and see them at the same time. There's a sense of immediacy about it that helps a lot.
Excuse this post. It doesn't actually answer anything at all. Just a little insight of my current state of mine. Messy. I'm going to bed.
15 years ago
2 comments:
With or without technology, mental and emotional connection are truly the most important learning curve yet the most difficult virtue to manage. But when you are lucky enough to have been blessed with the experience, you want to do everything you can in your power to keep the butterflies alive.
Live, love, and learn.
care: amen, sister!
cynth: ever read "idoru" by william gibson? in which a character falls in love with a virtual person? methinks gibson a prophet.
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