Why is it so difficult to meet people? I hear this from friends, from reading articles written by twenty and thirty -somethings, and somewhat experiencing it myself. You would think that the internet would connect people more, but then why are all the dating services gaining popularity? Perhaps the internet is beneficial to keeping existing contacts and not creating new ones. Perhaps the time spent in front of computers is costing the time people would spend outside socializing and physically meeting others. I still find it puzzling that the communication channels have widened so extensively, yet people are having a harder time meeting new people. A large factor is the changing social mindset. A great push for a successful career has left other aspects of life on the curb. Personal expectations have also left this generation wanting more of everything. I'm not advocating lowering your standards, but in general, this generation has demanded and received. This idea has propogated to our relationships. The demand for someone who does everything is preferable.
So it seems that the changing social aspects and psychology distances people from one another, and the networking power of technology can't keep up. Then again, there's no substitute to meeting someone face-to-face.
I think the downside of widened varieties of communications is the mask it creates for communication. It's easier to be yourself when you're typing versus talking to someone. On the flip side, people can act/behave different online than they are in person. This basically means that you are no longer meeting the person you're actually communicating with, instead you're meeting their representative. This then creates a falsehood in the relationship and once you're in deep, you realize this person didn't measure up to begin with, but you can settle for it. I agree with you, there's nothing like face to face interaction.
ReplyDeleteI agree also.
ReplyDeleteTake eHarmony for example, it is easier to come in contact with more people, but still difficult to actually meet them. There is little or no chemisty in typed, thought-out emails. Phone calls are a step in the right direction, but face-to-face is the only way to get to know somebody. This is more difficult these days because many people seem to think they can get to know you by chatting online, compounded by the necessity of being cautious about who you are meeting.