Staying Connected

When did it become unacceptable to be out-of-touch? I watch TV and laugh at the people on the shows who are so dependent on the blackberry, cell phone, pager; but when I analyze my life is it really different? As soon as I sit in the car I have my cell phone dialing, I certainly wouldn't want to drive the car without talking to someone. At work checking email all night has become regular behavior despite being against the rules...would it really be so bad if an email went unanswered for a few hours. Myspace.com is an addicition; people looking for people and friends...trying to connect to anyone possible. Comparing the length of another person's friend list to yours is normal; why do they have more friends than me?

Is it loneliness that drives us to these extremes? I enjoy time by myself without the distractions of another person's thoughts so maybe it is habit or a learned activity. The question is, why do we need to stay so connected and are we really connected through technology? There is nothing more personal than a face-to-face visit...how many people do we see face-to-face outside of work? On my days off I am eager to not see or take care of people. I love all of my friends at work but really spend enough time with them already. So who is left?

Maybe staying technologically connected is the only way possible to sort through everyone's busy schedule and find a meeting time and place. A quick email sent will remind a friend that you are thinking of them, a response back does the same for you. A short chat on instant messenger is used to relay information, text messaging the same. How much is lost in translation, how much emotion goes unrecognized without the verbal or face-to-face contact? Friendships are now determined by time schedules and chat rooms rather than by finding common interest and exploring each other's feelings and habits.

Are we better off to stay so disconnected from personal time spent with friends and switch to technology?