Sociologists are taking great notice of the shift in cultural dynamics as technology continues to invade our lives with increased intensity and regularity. While the benefits of SKYPE, text messaging, and photo updates on Facebook are entertaining at best and at times essential for communication, NOTHING replaces face-to-face contact. As was predicted by the authors of Megatrends over two decades ago, our society is fractured into various subgroups (well beyond red and blue states) with the vast majority of people often isolated behind a computer screen for hours if not days. In addition to the vast health implications of these cultural dynamics (poor eating habits, poor exercise habits, poor sleep habits, etc), are the real social needs of individuals who need real social contact and interactions. I write this because I feel it is important to take time to cultivate relationships with your friends. In stress management circles, this is known as social support groups and it is essential for optimal health. If there were ever to come a time when the whole Internet was to crash, many people might wonder how they could live their lives. The bottom line is that we need to cultivate our friendships each and every day… So consider doing so, because when all is said and done, it’s not about how many square feet your house is, where you took your last vacation, or the salary of your current job. It all comes down to the quality of our friends and family…and the time we spend with them.

By Brian Luke Seward, retrieved from his Newsletter, http://brianlukeseaward.net/spring_2012_newsletter.pdf