The Decline of the Private Self

http://www.psychologytoday.com/rss/pto-20070424-000003.html

This is a very interesting article, and the more I think about it, the more it seems that we are becoming more and more virtual human beings than people. What do I mean by that? Well, let's start with the cell phone. It is now commonplace for one human being, while transacting business with another human being, to speak to a third human being about another matter while ignoring the human being with whom the first human being is transacting in person. Confusing? Imagine being a ticketing agent and having someone check in, check baggage, ask if the flight is on time - without ever actually speaking with the ticket agent. I've seen this, and I admit, when my boss called just as I reached the front of the line, I have done this. The virtual person checking in, treated the actual person the same as the disembodied person on the other end of the phone line. We are becoming desensitized by the sheer volume of information that is coming our way, and are simultaneously surrendering privacy while lowering our standards for interpersonal contact.

How is this changing who we are and how we relate to others? More to follow tomorrow.