As I sit here surrounded by the glow of screens, I cannot help but feel a sense of isolation. In our world today, where technology connects us more than ever, it is easy to feel paradoxically disconnected. In this blog, I would like to share my perspective on why isolation feels more prevalent in this postmodern age.

Connection

We all have a smartphone with internet connection. Social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and X keep us in touch with our family, friends, and even strangers across the globe. We can share our thoughts, photos, and daily activities with a large audience in real-time. This constant connectivity makes it feel like we are participating in each other’s lives more deeply than ever. But somehow, it has made us feel more alone.

On social media, we only see the curated versions of people’s lives. We see their accomplishments, travels, and happy times, which creates a culture of perfection. What we don’t see is the struggle, failures, and setbacks.
Seeing this persona can create a sense of envy and comparison. The feeling that everyone is leading a more exciting and successful life increases our feeling of isolation and loneliness.

Human emotions are better conveyed via tone of voice, body language, facial expressions and gestures. The interaction that we have on social media, the likes, shares and comments lacks the personal connection of face-to-face conversations. You can argue that text messages are better form of communication but how much can you type in one WhatsApp message?.

But what about phone calls?

Let’s look at an example:

Person 1: Hey!, How are you?
Person 2: I’m fine.

But fine how? A simple phrase like “I’m fine” can have various meanings depending on how it is said. Someone’s voice might sound upbeat and natural even though they’re struggling internally. Follow up questions without additional context can lead to a series of misunderstandings.

Control

We think that we are in control of our lives, that we can choose what we want to hear, see and experience. But the truth is we simply aren’t. Control is an illusion. There are so many things that can happen that are beyond our control like losing our job, losing a loved one, getting sick, or experiencing a disaster.

The self-help industry is guilty of spreading this myth. We are constantly told that success and happiness are within our grasp if we just try hard enough. But that’s not true. Some people are born privilaged giving them a head start in life. Others may face discriminating barriers making it harder for them to succeed. These barriers bounds a person to choose an alternate life leading to depression and loneliness.

As I think deeper about these issues, several questions come to mind:

  • How do we balance the benefits of technology with the need for personal interactions?
  • Can social media be improved to help people form genuine relationships?
  • How can we find a stable sense of self in a world?
  • What can we do to build stronger communities in a society that focuses so much on materialism?

Tomorrow’s dawn heralds the Singularity