Is the Digital Age Eroding the Core of Human Connection?
“What the world needs now is not more information, but more authentic human interaction.”
— Anonymous
Let’s be honest: in today’s world, where our phones are practically extensions of our arms, haven’t those genuine connections started to feel a bit... distant? We’re all drowning in digital noise—texts, DMs, feeds—but it seems the deeper, richer relationships we crave are getting lost in the shuffle. It’s the great paradox of our time: we’re constantly “connected,” yet so many of us feel truly alone.
Think about it. That powerful, authentic bond—the one built on sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly face-to-face, without a filter—that’s what makes us human. But now, it’s so easy to mistake a quick ‘like’ or a short comment for actual care and support. We collect hundreds of online contacts, celebrating their milestones with a double-tap, but how many of them would truly show up for you at 3 AM?
The problem is, the virtual world prioritizes speed and volume over depth and vulnerability. We present polished, perfect versions of ourselves, which only makes everyone else feel inadequate and keeps us all separated by invisible walls. Plus, our attention is constantly hijacked by the next buzz or notification. How can we truly be present for a friend when we’re subconsciously waiting for our phone to light up?
To bring back the warmth of those lost connections, we have to make a choice. We need to intentionally look up from the screen, dedicate time to in-person chats, and practice listening—really listening—without our digital leashes. It means accepting the awkward, spontaneous, and imperfect beauty of real-life interaction.
Don’t let endless scrolling replace a priceless soul-to-soul conversation. This week, put your phone on silent and choose one person to meet up with—no texting back and forth, just a good, old-fashioned, real-time hangout. Pick up the phone and plan a face-to-face meet-up right now!
One of my favorite scenes in film comes from SNEAKERS, where a force of evil has designed a mathematical key to unlock any and all secrets. Let's, for giggles, substitute "too much information" for "too many secrets." Social media giants use math-based algorithms to put an endless stream of information in front of us, numbing us into seeing what they want us to see. Their key is scrolling: "Here, look at this, now this, now this..." It's every bit as addictive as drugs or alcohol, and it rewards us with chemical hits.
In the film, someone shouts "Turn it off!" when the full power of the key is revealed. The only way to break the spell of the algorithms is to back away from the keyboard. It's not easy, but as you say, Dennis, "we have to make a choice." On the other side of that choice is the potential for connection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUt7D4PnjxU
Before I went to answer your question, Dennis, with a Yes or No, I had to ask myself: "What is the Digital Age? When did it begin? How did it begin?"
I was surprised to learn that the Digital Age has its roots in the 1940s & 1950s, early computers, transistors, personal computers, microchips, the InterWeb, moving from mechanical & analog (think typewriters, Rolodex, paper files) ..... to digital, universally accessible information => fundamental changes to how we humans communicate.
I'm back to teaching a story course, in person, face-to-face with people. There is a palpable ache & tenderness in the desire to be seen & heard. Much of storytelling skills turns on listening. In one exercise a person is listened to - uninterrupted - for 2 whole minutes. 2 minutes & they feel as if they have been graced space & refuge both.
I am not here to argue the pros & cons of The Digital Age. But what does come to mind - strangely enough - is President Dwight Eisenhower's warning - in 1961- against the establishment of a "military-industrial complex."
The best stories leave us with questions, more so than pat answers.
I want to know: What have we wrought? What price have we paid? How can we properly make use of the obstacles we have thrown down in our path?