[Evilive]

I agree. We've become very closed off from one another, very cocooned. I take daily walks, and ...no one makes eye contact, no one smiles in greeting, drops a friendly 'hi'. They've tuned me out, and I them; plugged ears with the music of our choice, heads bent in texting, attention monopolized by our cell phones, inside and online, talking to our "friends" whom we've never even met, zombified by our television sets. I feel so....closed off. Yet the anonymity of the online world, also allows me to be so open, and close....to strangers. I'm ruling people out, without ever even knowing.....how I feel when I'm with them. Which meeting in the real world, allows. And sometimes, your standards fall to the wayside when you meet someone and there's just something 'right'. Here, in the online world, I cling to my standards, I'm more harsh in my judgment, I allow no one the benefit of the doubt. I've opened myself up to a world where my selection, my sea, is so great, and the fish to choose from are so mind boggling in variety and number.....and yet my sea has never been so empty and cold.

This theme seems to be very common these days, does it not? Is there anyone besides me and this unfortunate person that suffers a similiar condition? Please do share with us your experiences of alienation in the modern technologically saturated world.

[Dave]

Uniquely American? Have you never left this country?

[QatzelOk]

plugged ears with the music of our choice, heads bent in texting, attention monopolized by our cell phones, inside and online, talking to our "friends" whom we've never even met, zombified by our television sets

The writer was lucky to encounter actual live humans on the streets of his city.

Most Americans glide by each other in metal cocoons which kill on contact.

[Evilive]

I thought I should post this, as it seems to happen to me alot. Walking around the neighborhood for exercise, I see someone walking by yelling into their cell phones, I give a friendly wave and they are too preoccupied trying to communicate their feelings of angst with a piece of black plastic, unaware of the people around them and their surroundings in general.

I just felt like others might be able to relate as well.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Ehhhhh. It's not a destruction of community, they're just forging a different type of community. It's different, it's not necessarily bad. I agree that a better sense of community is needed, but it's more prudent to change other parts of society, like internationalism and globalism, which are contributed to by technology, but more important. People's values are what are changing people's socializing.

[Potemkin]

The world is turning into the Planet of the Nerds.

This is, of course, a good thing.

[QatzelOk]

they're just forging a different type of community

Yeah, a community of people who live entirely separate lives until a crisis comes and they're on their own with no resources.

I pass people wearing Ipods all the time. They're the ones who don't move when I try to pass them on my bike. "Excuse me, can I pass on your left? CAN I PASS ON YOUR LEFT??"

Then I hit them gently on the back, and they look at me in shock. "Oh my god, there are other people around me who may require my attention from time to time."

Electronic retardation is both self-inflicted and - thankfully - curable.

[Shannonnn]

Let us all say hello to a stranger tomorrow.

[QatzelOk]

Let us all say hello to a stranger tomorrow.

And let's not wear our Ipods for a few days, and show that we are open to communicating with other people we may not know.

[Nattering Nabob]

On the American frontier people were more closely connected to their neighbors who lived miles away than we are today with our cell mates in the next apartment.

They got together at barn raisings and quilting bees and would help each other bring in crops and all manner of red-neckky stuff.

They would drive their carraiges/ride their horses miles to reach the church and they would frequently go home with somebody else and return the next week when they again met at church.

Today we do not know the names of the people living in the next apartment.


That said...I find I do not have too much in common with the average person on the street...

I am notoriously anti-social...

[QatzelOk]

That said...I find I do not have too much in common with the average person on the street...

Sure you do.

You've both seen Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

I pass people wearing Ipods all the time. They're the ones who don't move when I try to pass them on my bike. "Excuse me, can I pass on your left? CAN I PASS ON YOUR LEFT??"

Then I hit them gently on the back, and they look at me in shock. "Oh my god, there are other people around me who may require my attention from time to time."

You hit people in the back with bikes just for trying to listen to their music... and you call them douchebags?

[Verv]

This is generally true -- I think that a lot of it comes from the comfort we receive from our computers and TVs.

Our life is so awesome at home that going outside is a burden unto itself.

The writer was lucky to encounter actual live humans on the streets of his city.

Most Americans glide by each other in metal cocoons which kill on contact.

This was some nice analysis and it was well written, qatz.

I approve.

::: flashes Qatz a thumbs up and a smile :::

[Erebus]

The world is turning into the Planet of the Nerds.

No, that's just the internet.

[Zyx]

Interestingly, I noticed that although I did not have an Ipod, I did carry around outside absent mindedly. Indeed, I had a crush my freshman year who I did not even notice when she walked by me. All I noticed was that someone was staring at me. Also, my old Professor had to wave at me and say my name before I realized that he was there and even then I had to look for him. It's probably most because no one ever talks to me. That's another thing, on the off chance that someone does, I do not know what to say.

That is why this whole theory of 'love' and 'first sight attraction' is so amazing. There are occasionally people who would connect eyes with you on the streets. Perfect strangers who look your way and sometimes smile. It's said that you're supposed to look right at them and never break contact like reflects demand, and even better, I am told, is to go over and talk to them maybe even pointing out the distinction that their look affords. Either way, I wish that I understood that eye contact theory. Whether it had a basis in anything or if it's just individuals expressing attraction or affection. Who knows? I doubt that the next person who does the eye contact thing to me will get spoken to by me, but maybe this is a symptom of anonymity and urban life. Maybe this is what Durkheim saw when he wrote on the subject so long ago.

Ah well, is a stranger's life all that bad?

[Potemkin]

The world is turning into the Planet of the Nerds.

No, that's just the internet.

There's a difference?

[kuros_taken]

People do interact these days, but in a way I find strange and alienating. It's like you are supposed to be miles away from everybody you know and depend on, yet you likely do not know the person living across the street. This is particularly true of city life. I like to know people near me because that is how I was raised. The internet and electronic lifestyle, while an awesome tool and fun, has become so much of some peoples lives to the point that they might as well not carnately exist.

[pikachu]

This theme seems to be very common these days, does it not?

Welcome to the 21st century and the virtues of individuality and diversity. It's safer here.

[QatzelOk]

How do I feel about it?

Well, I love mailmen, and they often make small talk.

Plus there's nothing to do on the West Island other than to ride a bike and talk to mailmen.

And safeguard your sandwich.

[Verv]

Interestingly, I noticed that although I did not have an Ipod, I did carry around outside absent mindedly. Indeed, I had a crush my freshman year who I did not even notice when she walked by me. All I noticed was that someone was staring at me. Also, my old Professor had to wave at me and say my name before I realized that he was there and even then I had to look for him. It's probably most because no one ever talks to me. That's another thing, on the off chance that someone does, I do not know what to say.

I have noticed that sometimes I can get into similar trances where it seems like nothing else in the world exists but me taking a walk.

I have also met people who are so stupid that I just do not know how I am supposed to interact with them.

You cannot exactly treat them like children and be like, "Hey guy! How was your day!" "Oh wow, what did you learn today?" "Oh wow, so do you have a T-Ball game this evening?"

It is an interesting phenomenon.

I just do not even know how to be near them.