People need to unplug more.

I wish people could more readily.

I think being terminally online wouldn’t be such a massive epidemic if people could do anything outside of their homes in most places.

I’m talking about the death of “third places”.

If people are out of the house, they’re on business and don’t want to be bothered. If not business, then with their existing friends, and don’t want to be bothered. Or they’re bums or weirdos and are about to ask you for cash.

You step out of your house, and you’re expected to pay admission to any number of owners, do your transaction, and hurry on your way.

I’ve been seeing lots of videos about architecture getting more uncomfortable and less welcoming in places like restaurants for this reason. Walls are barren, corners sharp, and seats uncomfortable. In many malls there’s barely any seats at all anymore.

Nobody wants you “hanging out.” They want you to buy your overpriced whatever and get out. It’s all about turnover.

I feel like highschool was a good balance for me. You went out, interacted with real people every day, and went home to “log on” with those same people, and occasionally interacted with strangers for better or worse.

But now…nobody can afford anything, and everybody’s a stranger. So we’re a culture of shut-ins suffering from isolation psychosis.

This is (sub)urban living, of course. If somebody has a lovely little community of fellow forest-hikers in their backyard, I’m sure they’re doing great…

But yeah overall, it’s really sad…