Social Consequence

Life as meaningful as 140 characters.

You know the moment…you’re surrounded by friends and family fully engaged with the conversations at hand. Laughter fills the room and a memory that will be talked about for years is being made. As this moment begins to register you feel a flutter inside your pants pocket. Everything glorious about your present reality shifts to this buzzing box with a glowing screen trying to pull you away from the moment. As a Millennial, I am always learning that technology is a gift when exercised with respect. Otherwise, the screens we learn from, laugh at, stare at, type on, communicate through, etc. can steal our souls away and our lives can become as meaningful as 140 characters.

When we forsake the tangible for the intangible — we’ve failed.

What does technology desire? As human beings living in the 21st century we must wrestle with this question because our children depend on it and our children’s children. Our reality reveals that cashiers are touch screens, customer service is ran by robots, relationships are not real unless displayed online, and to be socially aware online somehow reflects real life. Nothing can take away the substance of looking in someone’s eyes across the table after a productive meeting, a memory made with your family, and being present with people who surround our lives. These kinds of moments are the most valuable gift we can give. These moments are rarely found in the screens we stare at.

When we forsake intimacy for publicity — we’ve failed.

You and I have been given a megaphone to announce to the world what we’re up to at any given time. As I look back on my life I am reminded of the millions of moments that have made me who I am today. Conversations with my dad about lessons of life are nuggets I take everywhere I go. The thousands of laughs I’ve shared with my wife are just as Mastercard proclaims: priceless. We all have moments that cannot be explained or shared. Let us be reminded that intimacy is invaluable. The intimacy that explains the fine details of our lives does not always belong on a screen in the hands of an online friend. As I pick up my phone and scroll through hundreds of status updates let us be reminded that our intimacies are too meaningful to share with those who don’t care about them.

When we forsake friendship for connections— we’ve failed.

Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer. No matter how many friend requests you send — friendship is rare and when it happens it can never be taken for granted. Our connections online will never take the place of a friend who arrives in the midst of pain.

As a Millennial, I am always learning that technology is a gift when exercised with respect. Otherwise, the screens we learn from, laugh at, stare at, type on, communicate through, etc. can steal our souls away and our lives can become as meaningful as 140 characters.