It has been an interesting social experiment functioning in the new paradigm of “stay at home” orders and “social distancing”.
For the longest time, I was having difficulty honing in on what exactly felt so “off” about the new paradigm. But in recent days, it has become a bit more clear.
You name the platform; Whatsapp, Facebook Video Messenger, Facetime, Zoom – something has felt off.
- There is almost and always some sense of mental absence that cannot be fully acknowledged by one another.
- There has been this constant push and pull of our minds; feeling as if we are together yet our bodies indicating that we are not. It’s an exhausting battle of the senses.
- Our bodies, seemingly and evidently, process so much “context” in in-person encounters that meeting via ‘facetime” creates a strange type of blindfold.
Through this experience, there is something that has become more clear than ever before.
It is easier being in each other’s presence or in each other’s absence, than in the repeated and constant presence of each other’s absence.
Thinking through these new dynamics, I cannot help but come back to realizing how intimate phone calls are, can be and could be again.
The simple voice on the other side was so intimate and so powerful, growing up.
I miss the good ‘ole days.