Face-to-face beats virtual dialogue for social bonding

    All relationships take work and communication. This is something that I wrote about in my last column, but in these past few days, I’ve really begun to think about it in relationship to what’s going on in our government.
    The government has been shut down, though some of us may not have noticed, since it doesn’t affect all of our daily activities. For some, however, this shutdown has caused very real problems: the loss of paychecks and financial stability during this time can be very painful. So, how did this happen? By refusing to communicate. With both sides firmly focused on their individual goals, they have refused to talk about a shared goal. And this refusal has had great side effects for many Americans, while those very same policy-makers remain unaffected. After all, they are still receiving paychecks despite the shutdown. Even worse, certain parties have made statements about their absolute refusal to negotiate.
    This breakdown in communication is affecting not just federal employees but also many other Americans. This is not simply a political breakdown.
    Unfortunately, we see this happening every day. We read about or even experience the breakdown of communication within families. How often do we hear about the social deterioration occurring because of technology?
    There is a general lack of social interaction occurring between individuals face-to-face, as many are now preferring to network online. This, of course, leads to many problems, all of which are being documented in the news: cyberbullying, social anxieties or disorders, etc.
    Moreover, the frequent use of technology has caused rifts between parents and their children, as children prefer to socialize in their rooms and on the computers, rather than with families.
    How often do we hear about families sitting down at the same time at the dinner table and sharing a meal? I remember coming home every day from school and starting my homework at the dinner table, only to clear it off in time for dinner. I’m sometimes shocked to find out from my students that most of them don’t seem to find that very important.
    So, should we be surprised that this deterioration of the family unit due to a lack of communication is now being displayed on the political front? Society depends upon the unity of family, as we learn from Catholic social teaching. The family is the heart of society. If we breaking down the family – whether through a divorce in communication or by altering the traditional, natural view of marriage and family – should it be any surprise that there is such a breakdown in society and politics?
    Rather than pointing fingers and blaming a certain side, we need to look at the larger picture to understand the very real problems that are taking place beneath the surface. By looking at the root of the governmental collapse, we can realize the effects that are taking place due to the redefinitions of family that many in our society are calling for, and hopefully look forward to healing. By renewing communication and reaffirming family as the heart of society, we can hopefully envision stronger social relations.
    Heather Bozant Witcher can be reached at [email protected].