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Much like you are told about taking care of your physical health, it’s also important to remember these three C’s for a sound life.
Looking across the vast universe, at times it seems like our basic societal needs have fallen by the wayside. A need for connection, collaboration and communicating at heartfelt levels appears to be slipping away.
Everywhere you look, even in my direction at times, people’s heads are down in their smartphones.
There is a unique twist of that term – smart phone. Does your phone, with all of its apps, blips, and buzzes on there, actually make you smarter?
Part of my life these days is spent walking along sides of busy streets after taking a Lyft to get to some specific place. I’ll notice people riding in cars looking down at their phones instead of looking up and around at the beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds.
Is it something about our human senses being dulled by technology? Of course, since the invention of television and their introduction into American and international homes decades ago our worlds have both been brought closer together, and separated further.
Millions watched men land on the moon and Ralph Kramden threaten to send his wife Alice to the moon, yet also watched military forces fight in Vietnam and protesters take to the streets over racial and political divisions.
Funny how history has a way of repeating itself, huh?
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The human element of actually communicating with human beings has gotten sideswiped by social media platforms. Before going any further, though, it should be noted that millions of people use these platforms as toys and not useful tools.
They are using them as bully pulpits, pounding their hands and heads into cameras or on keyboards to turn into a modern-day Howard Beale.
Beale, the character portrayed by Peter Finch in Paddy Chayevsky’s movie “Network,” famously looked into a camera and implored his millions of viewers to yell “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” A following scene showed co-star William Holden opening up a window at his condo, leaning out and hearing voices all across the city following Beale’s manic plea.
In some cases, looking around in today’s world one can see life imitating art.
It’s hard not to see how “Network” was ahead of its time. Just look around, and it’ll be as plain as day to see.
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But people don’t always need a lot of connection or collaboration in order to live happy lives. Introverts are individuals who need more space and quiet time to themselves than other people. Extroverts are opposite, loving to be the life of any party and striking up conversations at a moment’s notice.
Connection, though, is needed in order to move forward in life. One person reaches out to another, makes some type of request or asks a question and gets support. From there, collaboration is formed – whether it lasts a long time or is simply a one-time event. Communication is the linchpin of the whole thing, becoming a form of relating between people.
Think about business for a quick minute. Do you believe businesses would be successful if they did not have these three C’s incorporated? I think not. From a marketing perspective, you have to connect with prospective clients and customers through the power of words and visuals. Leaving any business to chance is a bit foolish. Yes, I’ve learned some of these lessons the hard way.
If you attempt to do life without at least one of these pieces involved, then you might be in for a lonely road. That is a personal choice, though, and there are millions of people who vagabond their way through the world just fine. They do not use social media for anything, look at people who are constantly on it like they’re mutants and want to simply live their lives in peace.
To them, I tip my hat. There have been times where I, too, have wanted to pull the plug on every social media platform that I am a part of in my own life. Just shut it all down and find a nice small town somewhere in some place to live.
Knowing myself, though, I’d get the adventurous itch again and start going on my wandering trips and believe the “relocation situation” would be the ultimate fix to what ails my heart and soul.
Connection, collaboration, and communication are always in need, so give them space in your everyday life and see what happens. You actually might find yourself having a better life.
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