When did spontaneous touch and face to face interaction actually fall out of graces? The potential dangers of emotional and physical isolation have real consequences that can be rather negative. In modern society even advertising agencies increasingly rely on robots and holograms to sell us stuff and even promote self care and intimacy. Consequences of loss of contact in the real world have been demonstrated in movies such as Ex Machina, Lars and the Real Girl, Robot and Frank, and even Blade Runner which takes it to the extreme.
A quick search on the internet will provide pages of results for prototypes for the future including alternative relationships, designs, and communication between people and objects. This is all inspiring, but it all lacks one important thing, physical interaction and touch.
We are increasingly surrounded and pummeled by noise and are starting to retreat into an energetic isolation. Most are pulling in rather than reaching out for physical support from each other, without contact we risk fewer secure friendships, increased depression, loss of resources for social support, and increased dependence on electronics.
Whether you are aware or not people need physical touch to thrive, without personal relationships it may be hard to counteract depression. Without social support and connections to one another there is also increased anxiety in events of crisis. While dependence on electronics may seem easier, they are actually more frustrating and often fail us at worst.
Sadly this is a trend that is becoming more evident, but there is hope, you can combat these trends by choosing to withdraw from the interpersonal world of technology, remove what is toxic from your life, and fight against the urge to be a sheepeople who joins in the cultural stream of wanting more and more, at faster and faster instant rates. This instant gratification comes at a cost and feeds dependence on technology, at the cost of real relationships, touch, and well being.
In person, human to human contact is declining. Today sexting has replaced making out in the backseat, and it appears as if people are writing more about sexual activity than are actually doing it. Marketing is reinforcing this by offering self care as a stand in for intimacy with huggie blankets to full out sex dolls complete with brothels full of them for this new you do you narcissistic culture. Contrary to what dating sites say you don’t need them as an interloper to find a connection, just go outside the comfort of your home. Reliance on electronics can actually impair you and decrease your fluency on social cues as well as desensitize you to right from wrong.
I’m hoping for a new trend of making offline the new black, not to say a full out offline, but one that makes more time for real life interaction and going outside. Put your wireless devices down, go take that walk with a friend, maybe join arms, go out for that meal and have a conversation in person. Better yet have a special night/day with your partner or significant other, go all out and the full monty. Hopefully this full on satisfaction will help to restore natural wiring and you remember finding the pleasure of meeting your basic needs, which includes those of physical touch that connect us to each other energetically.
Did you know that there are now professional cuddlers for hire? I fear for a future full of touch deprivation check in spots where people have to go and pay to be embraced, or wellness clinics where elders teach others the non-verbal communication skills that have been forgotten. I am hoping in person physical interaction is poised for it’s come back, and it brings with it some of the things that also seem to be vanishing such as common sense, pride in earning and accomplishment, and manners, along with intimacy and touch.
