Something I’ve been thinking about for the past few years is how I apparently need consistent communication with the people in my life: friends, lovers, cousins. I’ve told friends that I need to talk to them regularly, because otherwise I will believe that they don’t care about me. And for these past few years, communication has almost exclusively happened through texting.
I’ve also noticed how social media has creeped into my life and become a significant part of how I navigate my relationships. It’s made me feel connected to others, while simultaneously isolating me into my own solitary echo chamber. It’s been a great outlet for my writing and expression, but not necessarily a platform for discussing ideas. Coupled with the above need for regular texting from friends, it seems as though communication + technology –> confusion.
That’s the gist of the situation, really. I’ve come to learn how my love languages – words of affirmation and quality time – are affected by how everybody in my life uses texting and social media to communicate with each other.
So, with this knowledge, what happens next? Do I work on my need for regular texting when I know that some people don’t like it? What does that mean for our relationship if we don’t text regularly? What happens when you add the fact that I’m usually the one initiating get togethers and conversations?
I’m not quite sure what purpose this post serves, but I know that this is a conversation we’ll keep having about social media and relationships.
Story-Sharing for a Better World 