Few advertisements have the power to stop me in my tracks, make me think, and then smile. Dentyne, a manufacture of chewing gum, are running two advertisements in the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit that remind people that communicating with people digitally can never, and will never, reach the fidelity of “face time”. Since leaving Facebook over 3 months ago, and discussing the reasons why with several people in meat space, I’ve discovered that I’m not alone. Many have admitted that they share the same feelings of nostalgia, longing of the days before social networks, and frustration with the digital, you are my friend, you are not my friend, systems of today. The efficiency of which we can communicative with people today removes the effort that was once required to truly know someone.
Now there are people who will argue that online social networking, in moderation, is healthy. The same can be said about masturbation, and that’s all social networking has become. Make a profile, find people you know, say how you feel, read what they said about how they feel, comment on their feelings, give their feelings a thumbs up; it’s remarkably easy to fool oneself into believing that you’re interacting with someone on a meaningful level. “Face time”, exposing your thoughts and feelings in real time, changing the tone, pace, and subject of a conversation based on the area you’re sitting, who is around, and most importantly how the other person moves their body in their seat and the features of their face; the challenges of recognizing, interpreting, and then reacting to someone during “face time” are what you use to discover friendship, truth, and compassion.
A thumbs up doesn’t quite do it. Dentyne realizes this, and they know that many of you have these feelings, but you’re too comfortable in your online social network to take a risk. They’re pushing you to get back out into the world, to experience things without the safety of your laptop. They want you to be prepared for the people you’re going to meet, and to them that means having fresh breathe.
They sell gum, but in the process they try to remind you what life is all about.
[Images from Flickr user “acordova“]