Starved for attention?
A few months ago I was strolling down the hall at school and stopped to take a look at the bulletin board. I'm always amused at the fliers that people post and since it was 10 p.m., I could stand there as long as I wanted without looking like that freak that can't get enough of the bulletin board information.I was about to leave when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a flier that said "Girlfriend Wanted". I had to look again. Yes, that's what it said. Now I HAD to read this! This guy gave a description of himself (a student, tired of the bar scene, blind dates, etc.) who thought he would give it a shot with a flier. Laughing in disbelief and from reading a hysterically, but well written note, I write down his e-mail so I can send him a thank-you note for ending my rough day at school with a chuckle.
I'm not sure why he felt compelled to post a "Wanted Girlfriend" flier at school, or why I felt compelled to copy his e-mail and write him. At that time, were we both starved for some sort of attention? Or would this turn into an experiment in modern socializing?
It got me thinking about how impersonal our lives are. We can hide behind computers and cell phones at school, cubicles at work and separate porches at our apartments and homes and never truly interact with people on a daily basis. I can talk to people throughout the day, but how many do I actually have a meaningful conversation with?
Dating today is a different breed of socializing. Singles now have the option of "8 Minute Dating", a program set up so a person can have eight dates for eight minutes each in one sitting. There are numerous online dating programs designed for singles to meet other singles, without ever meeting in person.
With advancements of technology and the increasing scurry of our lives, there are moments I wish it would go back to the days where kids walked home from school with their parents, waving to the neighbors and strolling across the lawn to catch up on their lives. I wish there was one day on campus that cell phones were not allowed, so students had to interact with each other, not the person on the other end of the call. What happened to chivalry? What happened to making friends in class, not on the internet? We can't get anyone's attention long enough to establish quality conversation.
It turns out that I wrote that guy a note, telling him how much I appreciate his amusing efforts in finding a girlfriend. We've had some crazy conversations and a few fantastic laughs, too bad we met over a flier instead of speaking to each other in the computer lab where we have crossed paths on more than one occasion.
posted by erin @ 2:51 PM
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