One-third of women fear loneliness more than a cancer diagnosis, says a recent Forbes article. This doesn’t surprise me.

Allow me to divert from my usual blog about style… because I think this is an important topic, not only for women, but also for society as a whole.

Is our dependence on electronic communication creating a relationship void? When you only communicate remotely (i.e. not in person) you lose some level of intimacy with your friends. Typing is not emotional, it’s not expressive, it doesn’t allow for vulnerability. Certainly not in the way you can be face-to-face with a close friend.

Who even has close friends anymore? Does our keyboard shield us from the ability to truly know someone?

I’d argue, yes.

What’s missing here is the ability to really connect with people on an everyday basis. We hardly even want to speak on the phone anymore; preferring text or email so that you don’t have to engage in any small talk. God forbid you ask someone about their day and get the truth.

I feel that these close connections will have long-term ramifications for society as a whole. For example, many mental health issues can be helped through the support of truly close friends. As humans, we need social interaction just as we need food and shelter to survive. We’re social animals.

How long before we never leave our houses, having food and groceries delivered through online orders, and working from home.

Oh, wait.

Make a point this year to reconnect with people, in person. Get to know someone beyond a superficial level. Be vulnerable.

Be human.