Connecting With Others: A Challenge For New Forms Of Communication

Technology, in relation to communication, is one of the best representations of that duality that usually resides in each of our acts. On the one hand it provides us with experiences, on the other hand it entails a serious danger : that of getting away from them. Thus, connecting is becoming easier and more difficult at the same time.

Social networks, for example, allow us to bring what we have further away: we can be in contact with people who are thousands of miles away with no more delay than it takes to blink. In addition, we can find out what places they usually visit, what they like, what their hobbies are or how their social circle is evolving.

The danger of this enormous amount of possibilities arises when what happens behind the screens acts as a substitute, and not a complement, to the more traditional forms of communication. Thus, connecting with people is much more than giving “likes”, talking face to face involves a huge amount of nuances that are lost in “whatsapp” and photos rarely have the power to reflect a complete reality, or at least as complete as what we can capture with our eyes live.

We run the risk of becoming dependent on the networks, of forgetting to connect with people through looks and gestures, of forgetting the non-verbal language that we interpret when we have the opportunity to “read” it, of appearing in photos when in reality we do not you want to show the world how you feel. The key will be to get the most out of new technologies, without losing or neglecting everything that they can hardly give us.

Connect out of necessity or pleasure

We define our line of action when we need to upload our day-to-day to social networks; when an experience is no longer valid if it is not “published” in these media. When it is not enough to live it and enjoy it, but we need others to know it and be part of our moment.

Far from reflecting reality, a study by researchers from the universities of Wisconsin, Haverford, Northwestern and Toronto found that the couples who made the most publications on social networks were the most unhappy.

In general, it can be said that the people who need the outside the most (“I like” your contacts, visits to your profile, etc.) are also those who have the most deficiencies in their inner world. A person with good self-esteem will not need others to approve of photos or trips, partner or friends since they will simply use the networks to connect from time to time and be closer, but never out of necessity.

Let’s not forget that talking or conversing involves more than just staring at a screen or typing multiple messages. Neither seeing photos is seeing landscapes; it falls short. Giving a “like” does not mean expressing a complete opinion, simply that I am here and I follow you.

The camera of our memory is much better than that of our phone

The true essence of our day-to-day life is etched in our memory and it would not be good to allow that, by leaving it reflected in a photo, this experience would not leave more imprint on us than the digital one. A single moment can hide an emotional inspiration that we can miss if the only thing we use to look at is the camera.

Without losing the possibility of connecting with our friends instantly or sacrificing it on some occasions (nothing happens to put the phone aside), it would be good to take time for a coffee, maintain a common context, travel and have the opportunity to hug, to wink an eye, to hold hands, if we have the methods and the will.

It’s true that maybe it’s not just us. It seems that most people have taken the side of digital communication over face-to-face communication and being able to hang out with them for a while is practically a miracle. So, if you don’t want to lose track of them, you have no choice but to go to the place where they spend most of their time: the digital world.

The real is hidden behind, there is a life behind each profile, we are more than an image or a contact, each person is a world that is little reflected in their networks. Thus, connecting with someone is more than being “online” at the same time, if you launch yourself to discover it and leave the screen you will see what reality hides and keeps for you.