I was having a good morning. I woke up early, got a lot of work done, and was looking forward to a productive day. I set out to return some library books, walking down the peaceful Main Street of Roosevelt Island. As I walked, the weather reminded me of my time in Ireland: cool and damp, but not too cold, and I smiled to myself at the fond memories.
On my way back from the library, I passed a middle-aged woman. As I passed her, I heard her say one word, aloud, very clearly.
“Faggot.”
I was hurt, stunned, and taken aback. I felt like I had been punched in the solar plexus of my soul. I can only recall one other time I had been called that, years ago. It hurt then and it hurts now.
I feel sorry for this woman. Her ignorance and hatred is a burden that will leave her miserable. I forgive her, and I will pray for her. I wish I had said as much to her in response. I will not let her hatred become my problem. I sincerely hope she sees the error of her ways.
Like all good humor, there’s a grain of truth to it. Twitter, like most Internet platforms, can be a tool for sharing information and ideas. And like most Internet platforms, it is used for inane chatter as a substitute for real human interaction, or for that matter, thought. I’ve noticed with myself that the more I use things like twitter, online forums, social networking sites, and IRC, the more self-conscious, introverted, and insecure I become about interacting with people face-to-face. I don’t think any of these Internet services are bad in moderation. Without the Internet, I’d have been lost as a vegan living in the suburban Midwest, and I wouldn’t have met my husband. The problem is that all this connectivity can quickly (and frequently does) become addictions.
I’m not going to scream “NONE OF YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS” and summon the Fail Whale. You probably do have friends. Give them a call. See how they are doing. Go hang out with them. Go talk to a random stranger and make new friends! Or if you’re really not feeling like socializing, at the very least go read a book, or walk in a park. Just pry yourself from your cell-phones, iPods, computers, netbooks, BlackBerries, and all those other gizmos that allow you to forget about the real world.
We’ve become a world of cyborgs, living in a virtual reality. We’re forgetting how to deal with real people. It’s time we remember again.
