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Introduction: Has technology closed the gap, or built high walls?
In today’s era where everyone has a smartphone, we often say that technology has turned the world into a global village, and messaging apps make staying in touch as easy as pie. However, technology has also granted us a cold power—the power to instantly disappear. Recently, a desperate letter from a mother in the NJ.com column Asking Eric sparked heated discussion. Her story is not just a family entanglement, but a classic case of communication barriers in the digital age. Today, from the perspective of tech news, we analyze this heartbreaking Digital Cold War.
Background: One phone call, two different sentiments
The protagonist of this story is a mother who raised her child through many hardships. Over thirty years ago, after her boyfriend abandoned her and treated her like a \”hot potato\” (drop like a hot potato), she gave birth to her child alone. Later, she rebuilt her family and gave the child a stable environment. However, times have changed, and now her son avoids her. Every time she calls, the son hangs up as soon as he hears her voice. This leaves the mother \”completely baffled\”, not knowing what she did wrong, only able to face silent protests from the other side of the screen.
Tech Commentary: When hanging up becomes a power play
In the analog era, hanging up the phone was accompanied by a crisp clicking sound; but in the digital age, cutting off a connection only takes a simple swipe. Here is the impact of technology on human nature reflected in this case:
- ** The Double-Edged Sword of Caller ID: ** In the past, receiving a call was a surprise, but now it can be a scare. Technology gives us the \”right to screen\” before answering. For this son, the \”Mother\” displayed on the screen is no longer a symbol of affection, but a notification that can be \”filtered\” at any time. This \”preemptive strike\” communication style causes dialogue to fail before it even begins.
- Lowering the psychological threshold for Ghosting: It takes courage to reject someone to their face, but in the digital world, staying silent or hanging up takes no effort. This convenience brought by technology makes conflict resolution between people more immature. This behavior of \”talking past each other\” or even \”not talking at all\” makes the older generation feel even more powerless in the face of the digital divide.
Deep Analysis: Danshari and Psychological Defense in the Digital Age
This mother’s experience is a classic microcosm of a high-tech, low-warmth society. At the technical level, we have the most powerful connection tools in history; but at the emotional level, we are increasingly likely to fall into the predicament of \”everyone blowing their own horn and singing their own tune.\”
- Anxiety from Information Asymmetry: The mother does not know the reason for being rejected, which creates significant cognitive dissonance psychologically. Her attempts to communicate repeatedly \”hit a brick wall\”; this one-way information transmission is one of the most frustrating aspects of modern communication.
- The Illusion of Social Media: Perhaps on a certain friend circle or IG, the son lives a seemingly normal life, yet he builds high walls specifically against his mother. This \”partial estrangement\” is infinitely magnified in the digital environment, making family affection feel like a tragedy of \”pressing a warm face against a cold butt\” (unrequited effort).
Editor’s Commentary: Tools are cold, hearts should be warm
As tech observers, we often chase AI, 5G, or the latest smartphones, but we often overlook that the original purpose of communication tools is for \”understanding.\” This mother’s encounter reminds us that when technology is used as a shield to evade responsibility and dialogue, its destructive power cannot be underestimated.If this son could use the advanced communication tools to send even a short text explaining \”I need space now,\” he could avoid leaving his mother in the painful state of \”a mute person eating bitter herbs\” (suffering in silence). We have the most advanced equipment, but that doesn’t mean we have advanced souls for communication.
Conclusion: Don’t let the block button be the only solution
In this era where even communication can be automated, we should value \”non-digital\” warmth even more. No matter how technology evolves, \”being open and honest\” remains the best way to resolve conflicts. Hopefully, this mother will eventually receive a call that is no longer hung up, and I hope all readers, while enjoying the convenience of technology, don’t forget that on the other end of the phone, there may be a heart waiting to connect with you.After all, if we only know how to use \”block\” and \”hang up,\” how are we any different from cold servers?”
