MJ, People Don’t Want to “Leave Me Alone!”

I was thinking about how the simultaneousness of nearness and distance has been a benefit of the development of phones and other digital tools as I read the passage where Han discusses it (p. 55). When my dad and I talk about how much we miss each other, he often says, “Thank God for phones and the internet; at least I can hear your voice and see your face, unlike when people only had to rely on letters.” Yes, that is a benefit, and it really does enable partial nearness devoid of touch to be attained even in a state of distance. On the other side, hypercommunication (p. 76) can also be uncomfortable. People feel entitled to communication and the urgent need to stay informed about other people’s lives when they have access to phones and the internet. There are moments when I just want to avoid talking to people and put my phone away, but that has never been possible. The “stillness” (p. 82) disturbs family and friends, who would always try other possible contact avenues to reach you. (180) [TO-11]

[Han, 2022; Michael Jackson, 1989]