Even more problematic is the present technology which separates human beings. The cell phone – a former convenience and good for calling AAA if the car breaks down on the highway – now seems to be plugged into every ear. A local cartoon strip “Zits” shows a teenage boy and girl sitting right next to each other, each one TEXTING the other! This is a true statement but it’s not funny, it’s tragic. We are losing the ability to interact, to coalesce into a couple or a family or a community or a nation. And once we are all separated, it is so much easier to “coalesce” the individuals into the “hive.” And, of course, the hive is what is wanted in the society of the future.

Think of it this way: if you dump ice cubes into cold water, it takes quite a while for them to melt and become simply more water. But if you put CRUSHED ICE in, very quickly what little difference exists between the much smaller units of ice is nullified by the water. People who are connected in small units (couples, families, extended families, communities etc.) cannot easily be absorbed into a “one size fits all” social construct. On the other hand, INDIVIDUALS separated and alone are much easier to blend into such a social construct.

Violence and sex are far less destructive of humanity than is technological isolation.

Don’t misunderstand me. I think your contributions have all been useful and thought provoking. But this subject strikes at the heart of all that is wrong with our ‘nation’ and also suggests a path to follow in righting it.

Peter Kelley
Mountain City, TN