Technology vs. the Human Touch

The Unity Community

A Weekly Letter About... What I Decide to Write About!

June 6, 2019 - Issue 19-23

Good Afternoon ,

As you know if you're a regular reader, I'm a big fan of building and nurturing relationships. One of the important ways of doing that is through conversations. Conversations happen in live two-way face-to-face, or telephone, connections. They don't happen in one-way text and email messages. No inflection, no gestures, no smiles, no emotion = no real human touch!

Here's an interesting commentary about technology's effect on human interaction.

This video (just over 4 minutes long) is worth watching. The young Latina speaker displays intriguing enthusiasm in delivering her message. She speaks in Spanish, so there are English subtitles. Even if you don't understand Spanish, her enthusiasm comes through loud and clear. As in other communication, the human touch comes through when you can see and hear the speaker. I recommend you watch and listen.

The subtitles are a bit hard to read on the video, so I've transcribed them here. I took a few liberties with the wording to make it flow a little better:

You don't have to be old to understand how human relationships work. Let's take a look at this example between people and technology. You ready?

The other day I spent an hour at the bank with my dad so he could transfer some money. I couldn't help but tell him, "Dad, why don't we just activate the online banking app?"

He asked me "Why would I want to do that?"

I said "You wouldn't have to be standing here doing a simple procedure like a money transfer. It's way easier online, you know?"

So my dad asks me, "If I do that, could I stay at home and not go out?"

I replied, "Exactly, you wouldn't have to go out anymore! What d'you say, Dad? Do we switch to the online app? Not only can you get the bank online, also grocery, Amazon gifts, etc. as well. Why are you wasting your time still going out to the bank?"

Pay special attention now, because my dad's response shook my world around.

He said, "Since I arrived at the bank today I saw 4 of my best friends. I've chatted with the bank's staff I've known throughout the years. You know I'm alone, and I also like getting ready to go out to the bank. I miss the touch of people's skin.

"Five days ago, I got sick. The guy from the fruit store came by to see me, sat next to my bed and began to cry. When your mother fell a few years ago before her death, our local helper at the market saw her and quickly picked her up, put her in his car and brought her to the house because he knew where we lived. Would that story have the slightest human touch if I did everything online? Why would I want everything to be delivered to my house and force me into just interacting with my computer? Absolutely not!

"We live out of human contact. Think about it. Nobody falls in love online. They fall in love with what they feel, smell and see the moment they meet that special someone.

"I like to get to know the person I'm talking to and not just the sales guy. This creates relationships between two people. Everyday, we see this less and less. So Daughter, let me ask you this one last time. Do online stores offer this service?"

And guess what? I had nothing to say. Once more, my father was right. Technology isn't our life, it just makes it easier for us. We shouldn't lose touch with the people we love the most. You never know when it'll be the last time you see someone you love.

It's true, we live in a time where we don't have time for anything. We want everything fast. But guess what? In an instant relationships disappear. In an instant one falls out of love. In an instant you receive text messages and in an instant they block you.

Life is about moments. Your life's most beautiful moments either just passed or are about to pass by. And they won't happen through your phone. They will happen through your eyes, mouth, ears and touch. Everything's stored in your head.

I'm not against technology - this video helped me get to you because of it. I just want to be in a world that doesn't lose touch with the ones we love.

I'd like to ask you to share this video with that very special person of yours - the person you still want to keep in "touch" with. Remember why they say, "You've got the world in your hands, not in a mobile device." Get it? In your own hands!

For more reading on relationships go here. For more on conversations, go here. I hope you enjoy the video and pass it along to others. You can do that by just forwarding this message with the link at the bottom.

You may want to consider doing at least some of your business in person. Even if it's a little less convenient, it's good to see a human face now and then.

John Stevens

Note: Archived issues of The Unity Community are available here.

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About John

Throughout a career spanning over 45 years my management style has been one of building teams to bring several competent people together to focus on a common objective. I noted early in my career that, in most organizations, there is an enormous amount of time, energy, and effort wasted by people working at cross purposes.

As I transition to life in the Argentine outback, my focus shifts from coaching to helping other business coaches and advisers get their message out to their prospective clients. With my first-hand knowledge of the benefits of effective business coaching, I am uniquely qualified to help business advisers of all stripes convey their message.