The concept of socialization is constantly evolving through the evolution of human communities and their tools. Technology has become integral to many activities, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the interactional situation only worsened. Solid relationships and interpersonal connections, crucial for mental health and society’s general well-being, become more challenging. Genuine relationships are harder to build and maintain due to the technological impact on people’s lives.
The obsession with gadgets and social media as a part of the community has presented a threat to interpersonal interaction for over a decade. According to Thorkelson, “We project the control we exert over the image we’re creating onto the experience itself, giving us a false sense of power, when in reality we have done very little” (2). Such an approach alters the personal understanding of social involvement in the current situation. A person can accept visual engagement in the problem from the observer’s perspective as the right way and the only way they can influence something. It creates the issue of altogether abandoning the idea of interventions when others need help. Digital mediation, for instance, records the incidents instead of taking action showing the safe approach to doing something without taking personal risks and engaging with others.
The situation in the community only worsens through the pandemic and the desocialization pattern of interpersonal interactions. Desocialization, or the perception of being disconnected or isolated from one’s surroundings and social network, is brought on by the situations people experience throughout COVID. People only experience interactions with relatives and close friends through technology, which alters communication patterns. Consequently, it is harder for people to adapt to complex social situations, requiring quick reactions, constant engagement, and personal connections. Murphy states, “Privation sends our brains into survival mode, which dampens our ability to recognize and appropriately respond to the subtleties and complexities inherent in social situations” (2). At the same time, these response patterns are significantly impacted by the general socialization concept of the 21st century, which is initially influenced by media and smartphones, as mentioned by Thorkelson. She writes, “Because of the rapid flow of social media, and the rush that comes with getting an instant reaction, rabid users are fixated upon capturing the ‘now’” (3). This focus on capturing the situation rather than engaging in it present the concern that dissocialized individuals would potentially prefer to observe the community than be a part of it. Therefore, the urge to build strong social connections with others will be a difficult task. To achieve it, a person needs to overcome anxiety and break the pattern of acting in the situation, which can still be challenging considering pre-pandemic and after-pandemic obstacles.
Therefore, it is true that the digital age and the pandemic affected humans’ ability to build strong social connections. It is evident through the choice of roles in the community since people prefer to be observers rather than participants in situations. Additionally, social anxiety and desocialization created by the pandemic impacted the personal urge to participate in active social interactions. People experience fear, awkwardness, and discomfort engaging in real-life situations with others in the community. Nevertheless, people are responsible for the potential of the social field, and each individual can influence the overall pattern taking the first step to shape new principles and return to meaningful social connections.
Works Cited
Murphy, Kate. “We’re All Socially Awkward Now”. The New York Times, 2020, Web.
Thorkelson, Erika. “How Camera Phones Stunt Bravery and Short-Circuit Human Decency.” Hazlitt, Web.