Thesis: the need for real, non-web based contact for human beings

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Jeffrey Newman

I began a personal observational journal examining the severe reduction of human to human contact and the isolation of the species resulting from the growth of internet dependence. I work in a law firm. For the most part people do their work in their offices for many hours a day sitting vigil before the computer screen only occasionally breaking for the bathroom or lunch. I observe people on the street listening to ipods or reading their blackberry’s or I-Phones and on mass transit sitting doing the same thing, with little or no interaction. There must be collateral damage from this phenominon and I suspect it plays out in therapists offices or in other ways more harmful. I haven’t engaged in a literature search for writings on the topic yet but I can pretty much imagine what they will say–that human beings are wired for social engagement and touch and interpersonal contact–like on Freinds and when you remove this as in isolation wards in prisons or hospitals, the results are permanent and devastating. I wonder why businesses haven’t realized this yet and why electronic free rooms made for human contact aren’t required for all employees for at least two hours a day. The irony of this posting is that I experience the very phenominon I criticize by writing about it. What brought this to mind was an occurrence today when an old friend stopped by to visit. We laughed at our common prior experiences and how enjoyable it was just to sit and talk together. This is a topic worthy of study and reflection at this most important time in our nations life. There must be more than the net. There is use for it but as a controlled device for a purpose.