The last time I picked up the phone and called a friend out of the blue without any hesitation was about three years ago. I was in Mumbai then, part of a more “connected” world, I would say. I still remember back in high school, as the MSN messengers and ICQs of those times were becoming hot property, we as kids were being pulled into this new realm of online communications. You met you friends at your day in school and when you got home you IM-ed with them on the Internet. Strange.

I tried my best to resist it. It was a “if you can’t beat them, join them” situation. And I gave in.

I honestly hate the concept of voicemails, texting, wishing someone a happy birthday on Facebook, but I still do it. Calling someone out-of-the-blue can be “intrusive.” So you text them, and thats how conversations flow.

Is this communication even real? Does it have more emotion than actually conversing with a person face to face? Are downward head bobs to check your smart phones not rude?

“Being connected” is over rated. If you aren’t meeting people often, if you aren’t talking on the phone often, you are not “in touch” with that person. Can we be more real? Can we be unplugged from our devices? Can we be more intrusive?

And you should totally check out this talk. Thanks Namrata for sharing it!