According to recent studies, the average American takes in about 3,500 to 5,000 marketing messages a day and spends about 41 hours per week using technology such as cell phones, TV, video games, music and the Internet. Everyone is spending vast amounts of time engaged in mediated reality and less time engaged with each other. For the past couple of weeks, all I have heard about is relationships and who is with whom, and who has cheated on whom and drama on why. Where did I find most of this crap? Pasted all over my freaking Facebook feed of course!! There was literally one girl whom wrote on Facebook about how she wanted people to stay out of her crap and to stop asking her about the breakup and then the next post 5 minutes later was her vaguely discussing about how she wish could go back in time and understand what she did and change her wrongs!!! Another girl I know started posting about her breakup about the same moment every couple minutes a video, quote, picture, and/ or status about how she hated her ex and how he did her wrong and that she was glad he broke up with her. ALTHOUGH the DAY before she had written on his wall about how she loved him and was so happy with him. Then today, my friend was talking to me about all of these text messages that he was sending to this girl and then how she totally rejected him in person although they got together so well over text. Another guy was sending dirty pictures to a girl whom he lives 16 hours away from and doesn't plan on seeking any type of relationship with her.
Our generation has developed some of the most advanced communication devices ever and instead using it to strengthen our relationships that we have, we use it as a barrier to complain about our lives and use it to gain attention that we other wise never would have used it for. Like the comic above, no one would act in real life like they do on Facebook! If we lived as Facebook portrayed us, most girls would be needy sluts, drunks, and on vacation and our faces would be stuck making permanent duck faces while making peace signs in the air. Guys would be random memes, vacations, and swearing ranting posts. We become much more brash and open with this digital barrier between us that leaves everything open for interpretation and no solid ground to work with. My question is, with the path that we have gone down so far, is it possible to come back from this lack of ability to communicate outside of the digital age? I know the second part of Wall-e was sketchy to say the least, but it is the best way to visualize what I feel like our society is coming too.... A complete lack and disregard for the Human situation and issues. We get so wrapped up on Facebook and in our own little digital worlds that we hardly notice the rest of it.... I watched Hotel Rwanda, a movie about the Rwandan genocides, for my mid-term paper and one of my favorite quotes was this,
"Paul Rusesabagina (A FILM MAKER BTW): I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.
Jack (main character): Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?
Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities? Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners."
this is how we often live out lives. We post about our own small "first-world problems" and live our lives without a thought of others and how what we say actually affects the relationships that we have around us. My plea to my generation is simply this, look outside your own bloody shallow and self-absorbed bubble and actually make an attempt to talk to someone face to face. You have NO idea the impact that simply listening and respecting someone can do. Think before you post that status. What are you ACTUALLY saying? Would you say this in person? THINK BEFORE YOU SEND THAT POST OR TEXT! It's not that hard! Golden rule first and you have it! :))
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