“Dorothy, we’ve been together for so long and I’m convinced now that I want no other woman on planet earth but you. Will you marry me? :)” The smiley face concluding the sentence signifies the ending of a text message. This type of proposal would make great, great, and their great grandparents roll over in their graves. There is a technological epidemic spreading worldwide where children are being raised in a world where it’s accepted to text or email anything. The older generation, including myself, is very frightened for the future because the line isn’t being morally drawn between information that should be texted and spoken face to face.
In today’s society, many see it okay to break up with a companion without the decency of face to face interaction. It’s called decency because the information being texted is important enough. How can you compare texting, “What time are you lifting weights today?, to “I think we should see other people, this isn’t working out… I’ll send the divorce information via email.” I mean, what’s the difference right? The difference between the two sentences is respect. Finding out what time your training partner is available to lift is something that can be rescheduled, not responded to immediately, or even forgotten. Breaking up with someone signifies that once upon a time, you wanted to spend the duration of your life with someone, but now, you think its best that you simply stay friends.
Social media is blurring priorities. Priority is the way people level the importance of one thing, compared to another and social media is changing these priorities. If there are no figures at home to teach the youth about what is and isn’t important, priorities will change so drastically that our children and grandchildren will never see the necessity to show up to weddings, major events, or simply visit. The replacement of a visit from a loved one will be Skype, Oovoo, and Facebook. I see you and talk to you, doesn’t that matter? What about a warm hug or a kiss of respect on the cheeks? I have a tradition Haitian mother and sometime we don’t say much when I’m home because I’m probably sleeping, but I’m there and that’s all she could wish for. If we don’t change our habits now, there won’t be anything left to change in the future.