#2052 Connection

Warning: This could be read as an old man reticent to embrace the current culture…but it’s not… It's science

Don’t confuse attention with connection and go out of your way for the latter.

A heart emoji never replaces a hug, and people still smile broadly when they get a card in the mail.

Our limbic system dominates our overall sense of well-being, and it predates language. It regulates emotions, controls our drive for survival, and connects our bodies and brains.  It is primarily kinesthetic in that the sensations associated with real connections manifest physically.

I think one of the issues with the attention we get via technology is the quick dopamine hit of being noticed but without the real connection attached to it.  It is a misalignment of sorts that leaves us feeling flat. I’d relate it to relying on sugary snacks for sustenance. The more you eat, the more you crave, but it never satisfies the hunger that got you started.

In 2023, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, declared loneliness a public health crisis.  How can this be true in a world where we can reach almost anyone, anywhere, instantly?  Because attention is not connection.

This week, make it a point to reach out to someone and invite them for coffee, lunch, or something.  Shake hands, hug, make eye contact, and smile.  We are biologically programmed for this, and while your phone may be quicker, it is not better anymore than a bag of M&M’s should sit in for your evening meal.