Technology isn’t just helping us hook up, it’s helping us hang up.
“I love you” are important words to say or hear. But, what if you were “told” this the very first time in your newly developing relationship via a text message, or e-mail? Then, a few months later you’re told, also by the same modern-day digital technology, “I’m completely finished with you.”
Are these examples of emotional disconnect or just another luxury of today’s digital technology – where you don’t have to lose any shut eye or have a good enough sense of character to mull over the reactions or consequences of your technology-based behavior?
It’s a well publicized rumored that even Britney Spears broke-up with her now famously ex-husband Kevin Federline with a text message. Here, look:
As I researched more about dating, digital technology and its effects on our behavior, relationships and potential love, I found an online site that will send an e-card to one of your sexual conquests notifying them of your pre-existing STD. Imagine opening your e-mail to this: “Good morning Mr. Smith, you are now infected with Herpes.” http://www.digg.com/tech_news/STD_e-cards
The last time I used the Internet to send a birthday greeting; contagious sore notifications were not included in my card options along with the singing e-card balloons.
The Internet isn’t the only technology doing our dirty work. I also discovered services that will end a relationship for you via voicemail, such as the Breakup Butler and Breakup Bitch.
I called the site’s four message numbers, and with the Breakup Butler the voicemail selections were “nice,” and “not so nice.” On the Breakup Bitch, the message choices were “mean,” and “no more booty calls.” Interestingly, there is no option with the Breakup Bitch to be…
“nice.” Sorry boys!
And just in case you never want to connect with a person that you have just briefly met or had a one night stand with, you can now throw salt into a potentially raw and open wound by giving them a fake telephone number from a rejection hotline such as: http://www.rejectionhotline.com/, where he or she will reach a pre-recorded good-riddance voicemail instead of you.
It’s clear that technology is giving new meaning to how we connect and communicate – or even find our potential mates.
How times have changed since the ink well, hand-written letters carried by the Pony Express, hand-cranked phones, and Elvis Presley being banned from TV for pelvic thrusts!
I was curious about how digital technology has changed dating for the 20-something generation, so I set up a phone interview with a 23-year-old woman to pick her brain on the realities of what is going on behind the cell and computer screen.
We spoke for 30 minutes and this is only a small slice of what unfolded from our conversation.
“One of my boyfriends gave me the password to one of his online e-mail accounts to do something for him, and it happened to be the same password for some of his other accounts as well. I began checking my ex’s e-mail as much as I would check my own. He was online a lot and I had so many thoughts and feelings about him always being on Facebook and MySpace; I wanted to see what he was doing. I wanted to validate my feelings that he was up to something. I would think about it so much. It can make you paranoid and at one point I did find something on his Facebook account, so I told him, he understood because he had done it to his last girlfriend [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][read her e-mails]. I’m in a very healthy relationship now and I don’t check his e-mails. Some of my friends still read their boyfriend’s e-mails, but I don’t think that makes for a strong relationship.”
So, is checking your significant other’s e-mail a new digital trend driven by instant gratification or is it simply a lack of trust we have for one another? What do you think? Has technology had a positive or negative effect on your relationships?[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]