Thumb Jig

According to a recent Washington Post article, Americans are becoming more and more socially isolated. Since 1985 the number of close personal relationships Americans keep have dropped from three to two, many times one's spouse being their only confidant. This trend predates the "me" decade, however. The popularization of television in the '60s fractured communities into 3 to 5 person cells then, with the surge of the PC in the '80s and '90s, those cells shriveled even further. Our technology appears to be robbing us of our time and susequently our friendships. What's worse this may have degraded the little time we do spend interacting. No family picnics. No dance lessons. No softball practice with co-workers. Pulling the kids away from myspace to watch "According to Jim" with the family or playing "Grand Theft Auto" instead of bowling now qualifies as an acceptable interactive activity. I'd like to think this is just a transition, that somewhere down the road we'll regain control. But as things are our fences are too high and monitors too blinding.