It appears that as our world becomes increasingly connected, many of us feel the urge to retreat from that very connection.
Take, for example, grocery shopping. Some people choose to wear headphones while wandering the aisles. It’s understandable; I’ve done it too. One user on X mentioned how crowded and distracting these stores can be, with “flashing fluorescent lights.” Can you really blame someone for wanting to tune out the store’s music, the sound of shopping carts, or parents loudly chatting on their phones, transforming private chats into something everyone can hear?
I don’t think people were meant to be bombarded with so much stimulus all the time. A grocery store with carts rattling, and the worst top 40 songs from the last 25 years blaring, all while bathed in fluorescent light, is a very unpleasant environment. If people need to listen to… https://t.co/awNYGQ2KaK
— Cera Gibson (@CeraGibson) May 10, 2026
Then there’s social media, perhaps the clearest example of this trend. Although we connect through platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it seems like many of us don’t feel closer to friends and family at all. In reality, we often feel more isolated. Even in our own homes, we can become disconnected thanks to our devices. I can admit it’s challenging to stay present with a partner when there’s a world of distractions online. You really have to make an effort to focus on the person right in front of you, to step back and unplug.
Was there a similar feeling when couples huddled around a radio or flipped through newspapers together? Maybe there was some level of distraction back then too, but scrolling through social media has a different impact compared to reading a book or the news.
Consider the way we communicate today. We can send texts and emails instantly to someone halfway across the country. But what would you rather receive? A flood of daily texts and emails, or a heartfelt letter that comes once a month? Personally, I think I’d prefer the latter. There’s so much more meaning behind it. You can even frame a handwritten letter, but a text message or Instagram DM just doesn’t have the same value.
Perhaps we’re losing touch with social skills because of all this constant connectivity. Maybe we’re just oversaturated with information, leading to anxiety. If we could take a step back from the relentless flow of messages and social media chatter, maybe we’d be more inclined to engage with the world around us. It’s almost as if our instinct to pull away is a reaction to the overwhelming environment we find ourselves in.
