As with so much else, 2020 has thrown our love/hate relationship with technology into relief, as technology tools mediate our lives more than ever. Parents lament that the screens are winning, while Zoom fatigue plagues the professional world. In an act of capitulation I ordered blue-light glasses as stocking stuffers.
But for all of our complaints, imagine sheltering in place without the internet. Would any of us choose that if we actually could? The quarantine would be far less successful without virtual commingling, as our natural urge for social interaction would drive us out to be with each other. The professional sectors of the economy would have crashed like restaurants or brick-and-mortar retail. You would not be reading this.
A staff member that we hired in August has never met the rest of our team in person, but she recently shared that she doesn’t feel a lack of connection. When I heard this I realized that I now take for granted the fact that we’re a remote team with meaningful human interactions every day. We see each other. We talk, listen, and laugh while getting the work done. Communication technology at its best disappears into a transparent medium for engaging with one another.
As we head into the holidays this year, many of us will miss gathering with family and friends under one roof to brighten the long nights, to exchange gifts, to have unexpected conversations. And although we’ll attempt variations of family reunions by webinar, this is where virtual togetherness breaks down, the medium doesn’t match the moment and it will not be the same. But the holidays this year do present a rare opportunity: to turn inward, to listen to ourselves, to hibernate a bit in the depth of winter. If we step away from the screens and let the hours roll by we may be surprised by what we find.
When we emerge into the winter sun of 2021, rub our eyes and look around, with vaccines on the way and new residents moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we’ll be grateful for what’s next, ready to greet our colleagues’ smiling faces through whatever medium we can.
So refresh and restore this holiday season, and we look forward to reconnecting with you in 2021 to make it an amazing year.