Do cell phones, texts, emails and socials in fact facilitate communications, or are they the ruination of real relationships? 

From even the analog Halcyon Days on, I was known as Gadget Girl to my friends. But as much as I adore my gadgets and technology, does constant tech babbling make us more or actually less connected to each other?

I’ve seen the arc, having worked heavily with tech clients for years -- including the giants whose products and services we all use ubiquitously, daily. First there was the “digital divide” controversy that gave way (or at least media time) to the truncated and face-to-face disconnection of emailing, then to the concerns that our hyper-texting children's development is endangered by poor spelling and socializing/-ation skills, and finally to our current social networking phenomenon. In its short 6 year existence, Facebook has changed the face of everything from job-hunting to high school reunions. But… are we really “friends”?

The human connection

While this sort of tech feels like an extended appendage one can’t live without for people like me, are our communications improving and more clear -- faster and more efficient, yes, -- but is our eternal search for human connection enhanced, meaningful and fully understood, appreciated as intended?

Right on cue, relationship deepening companies like Microsoft are rolling out the Kin as a device specifically for the social networking set to meet up, tweet and fo twizzle with people in their “circle” on the go. San Francisco start-up DailyBooth.com allows 6 million users to leverage the “a picture is worth 1000 words” adage and communicate by foregoing words all together. Picture this: I’m chanting, Just because we have the technology, doesn’t mean we’re qualified to use it. Om.

Online vs. the RL

Those who know me in RL ("real life" -- I feel safe to report, they tell me) consider me to be snarkily funny, quick witted and utilitarianly clever.  I have developed relationships for literally thousands of clients and friends, and I have plenty of stable personal interactions.  But online I have experienced: being abruptly schooled and Un-Friended on Facebook, asked to repeat myself in email and a 7^th circle of hell loop until even I didn’t understand what I meant anymore, and Denied! at a PR outlet for actually writing too clearly (which ironically managed to tip my piece over to not complying with their submission rules). I can’t recall experiencing anywhere near this level of misunderstanding and frustration in my RL communications as an adult!

At times like these, all I can do is pray to the Tech Gods to help me accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know when to Shut Down (and yet...stay open). I positively tingle with feeling that all seven of my chakras are pinged and involved in such tech comms bombs and mos def due for an upgrade — there must be a Clarity v.5.0 app for that.

Has technology helped or hindered your communications? Has it deepened your relationships or made them more shallow? How do you make the most of your communication devices and online communication time? What’s your favorite messaging delivery system? Is it a different experience for you versus the kids in your life?

[Image: Gurumustuk Singh]