No Backup

I didn't even call for backup. They provided it on their own.

The 20-somethings at the church home community gathering last night spent quite a bit of time discussing community and communication. Has the explosion of electronic communication actually created community?

The resounding sentiment was "No!" A young social worker backed up how much human communication is non-verbal. In other words, we must have face time.

Another observed that huge violations of appropriateness and boundaries occur when people put out very personal stuff for unlimited numbers of total strangers to read.

Consider the comments submitted online to any op-ed piece, printed either in a newspaper or posted online. From the remoteness, anonymity and aliases of our online identities and keyboards, we humans have taken to using the most degrading and judgmental name-calling to shout down each other's ideas. Would you say these things to a person across the table from you at a coffee shop? If you did, could you defend yourself or the nasty words?

I didn't have to call for backup on some of my wacky observations about modern electroculture. The younger folks provided it all on their own. That gives me some hope. Maybe it's time we headed for the exits of the technology train before it's moving too fast to jump.

Pax,
Roger