WHY FRIENDSHIPS HAVE LOST THEIR MOMENTUM IN THE DIGITAL AGE.
By Whitney Gloria
Friendships were built over time, through efforts and actual interaction. Today, they disintegrate with one seen, one slow response, or an incorrectly typed response. We are living in the world where it has never been easier to stay in touch but at the same time where friendships have never been so delicate. The digital generation has rendered communication immediate but relationships, disposable.
Performative connection is one of the most significant causes of the rapid end of friendship. Social media deceives us into believing that we are staying connected since we are checking each other stories or commenting on the posts. It is not the same to see a life of another person
and be a part of it. Most of the friendships end just because we think that we can see them on the internet and that the effort involved is real.
According to Philosopher Aristotle, “friendship is one soul that resides in two bodies.” Cute. Beautiful. Inspiring. The quotation refers to an intense and good friendship in which the companions within a particular relationship have a deep and unified soul, shared values, and purpose. This concept, which Aristotle serves as the basic point of his idea of friendship, implies that true friends are like other selves, who know each other well and promote the growth and well-being of one another to the extent of a spiritual togetherness. Except today, that soul seems to be living in two bodies, and three phones, five group chats, and a Tik Tok algorithm continuing to distract one of his or her lives.
There is also low tolerance problem. Our world of the Internet is not slow, and our demands are not slow. When a person does not respond right away, we think that he or she is not paying attention to us. We interrupt people rather than discussing matters. Unfollow, mute or block people like software you can uninstall when you need to. Technology has ensured that termination of a friendship is just a tap hence disputes are not resolved.
Comparison culture is another problem. Always competing with your friends after they post their success, relationship, or even their ideal moments. Insecurity grows. Jealousy grows. Without even realizing, we are growing apart not due to anything occurring, but due to the digital world making us feel inferior.
Probably the greatest of all culprits is absence. We chat longer than speak, browse more than read. You can still make a friend sitting next to you feel neglected when you are glued to the screen. Friendship will not thrive on partial attention.
The reality is that technology is not killing friendships, it is altering the manner in which we appreciate them. Friendships are competing with distractions, algorithms, and contemporary impatience instead of being maintained through the means of patience, effort, and real-time connection.
We need to revert to purposeful connection in order to salvage our friendships. Call people. Show up. Discuss problems as opposed to “ghosting”. Make time. Friendships are not lost in a shorter period due to people ceasing to care but because we have lost the ability to care beyond a screen.
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