Atoms in Boxes
Reflections on a Connected World
by Owen Roberts
Are we all a collection of atoms in boxes? Do we sit in our boxes, watching rectangular boxes, while handheld rectangular boxes emit light into our brains? Do we shudder at the thought of the next phone call, the next appointment or even the next requirement of leaving the house? Are we cocooned in a world of social media and online activity that we’ve forgotten that there is also a real world out there? This is the new connectedness of our contemporary society. We can communicate with people from the four corners of the earth at the touch of a button, and without having to spend as much as a penny for the privilege. We can share our lives with everyone we know, and also, quite often, with those we don’t know as well. We can paint our lives as an online masterpiece, with beauty worthy of the most sophisticated of galleries.
Yet despite this world of communication at the touch of a button, I still find myself feeling more alone than ever. Sometimes I wonder if there are other collections of atoms, sitting in their boxes, who feel the same. In my case, this disconnected feeling is echoed by the haunting spectre of poor mental health. Depression reduces the motivation to get out of bed. Anxiety can leave me terrified to even leave the house. Alcohol can also play its own part in my isolation through its own negative means. The final element of the structure is my annoying tendency to compare myself against others. They all seem to have such wonderful lives, depicted beautifully on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. If the lives of others are all so unattainable then why bother getting out of bed? These are the four horsemen of my own personal apocalypse. Although you could throw regret in there from time to time as well.
A bleak picture, right? Not necessarily! Thankfully I’m not alone in the slightest. I may find it hard to see in times of strife, but take one step outside or pick up the phone and you’ll find a whole community of people who’d like to engage with you. I can talk to family and friends who care for me, even if sometimes I don’t see it. I can get involved in local community activities and meet those who live around me. I can volunteer locally, helping to reconnect and support others who need it. I can go walking with other people who fancy a chat. I can go to coffee mornings, film screenings, writing groups.....the list goes on. These things make me realise that I too have something valuable to give and that I might be able to help another lost soul connect. They might even convince me not to constantly compare myself to others although let’s keep walking before learning to run!
Connected isn’t just a technical term for plugging in your router or joining a wifi network, it’s also a vital way for people to come together and share their stories of the human experience. It’s not about sitting with friends in a cafe, all staring down at mobiles instead of striking up a real conversation in the here and now. It’s something much, much more important than that. Being connected is a good old fashioned natter over a cup of tea. It’s reaching out to others and letting them reach out to you. Being connected may seem daunting but it’s a really very simple task indeed. Meet up with a friend or family member, Engage with your community. Reach out for help or hold out your hand to help others. Talk to people. Share with them the good and the bad of your life. You may find that they also have problems in their lives, the same lives you saw online as blissful and happy. You may be able to help those people with their issues. You may not get as many “likes” but you may find you gain contentment, happiness and mutual respect. You’ll probably make some good friends along the way.
If you’re going to be a collection of atoms in a box, you’ll find it’s an endlessly happier place to be sat together with another collection of atoms! Put the kettle on. Talk about whatever atoms in boxes talk about! Or even better, go out into the world and meet lots of other collections of atoms! Connect! Not in an electrical, technical way, but in real life, with real people. Let’s start a connection revolution! Little acts make big changes so let’s join the dots together, have a chat, and get connected!
