So I wrote this post last week in a word document and meant to post it but completely forgot. Oops! Anyway, here it is. Better late than never right?
During our class this week we were asked to take part in an activity that I think made a lot of people feel (at least) a little uncomfortable. We were asked to stand and turn to the person standing next to us and look into their eyes. Sounds easy right? Wrong. We were asked not to talk and just simply look into their eyes for an extended amount of time. We were then asked to put on hand over our heart and our other hand over the person opposite us’ hand. The activity went from simply eye contact to physical contact.
When I said before that I’m pretty sure this made people uncomfortable, I said it because it made me feel uncomfortable. Not necessarily in a bad way though. During this activity there was lots of laughter and talking heard around the classroom because people are not used to simply stopping and just connecting with people around them. We live in a society that is so caught up in technology that we are sometimes unused to connecting with those around us.
After this in class activity I really started to be aware of the disconnect in our society. As I am walking down the street, there are very few people making eye contact with others. I am guilty of this myself. When walking to class I stare straight ahead and if someone approaches me that I risk making eye contact with I pull out my phone and pretend to be absorbed with it until they have passed. Why is this though? Why have people gone from smiling to strangers on the street to always looking at their phone? Why are people who strike up conversations with strangers thought to be ‘weird’ and not just ‘friendly’? People are more used to and comfortable with connecting with people through social media and such than face to face. It’s easier to use apps like Tinder than actually going out and meeting someone. We are a society that is so used to instant gratification that we find it uncomfortable to take the time connecting and getting to know someone. I don’t know how we can change this, I just know that I am going to make a serious effort to put down my phone and connect with those around me.
