I knew a lady who, having been born in the early 1900s, often used to tell me about her childhood, when “electricity” was just a mysterious word she had heard about. It existed, it was used in big cities, but in small towns and villages people, at night, still moved around carrying candles, oil and gas lamps. I was fascinated by the image of this lady climbing the stairs of her house holding a gas lamp, just as we see in old movies. Then electricity became commonplace everywhere, even in small villages, and it made things easier. The miracle of pushing a button and having “light” made great changes in everybody’s lives. After a couple of decades another miracle happened: The advent of the radio. My friend told me stories about World War II, when people used to gather in her house, around the only available radio set in the neighborhood, to secretly listen to the news from the BBC, broadcast in Italian. Once again, life changed because communications became wonderfully easy and fast. In every house there was now a radio and everybody had access to a new world made of sounds coming from far away. People could listen to the news several times a day, to music, to theatrical pieces, any time they wanted. A richer, more interesting and exciting environment had been created.

A third change was soon to come: Television! My friend said that, after hearing this new word, she asked her Dad, still doubtful: “Do you mean that television will allow us to actually “see” the news that we are hearing?” And so it was! An additional transformation in mankind’s daily life. As a consequence, many habits started to change as well. When electricity and the radio became mainstream, things were sort of reshaped on a physical level, but not too much as far as human relationships were concerned. The advent of television, though, made things different because now, in the evening, the whole family would gather around the TV set to watch a program, while before they had been talking, playing games, “sharing”. A change had taken place that, beside bringing something “new”, was starting to alter the relationships between the members of the same family. Nevertheless, the family was still there.

Finally, the “present time” barged in! In the early ‘90s, with the spreading of the new technologies, an almost alien world was born. At first the possibility of making use of a portable, “mobile” phone with one’s own personal number, made it easier and quite comfortable to call home, to share an important piece of news, to ask for assistance. Wonderful! But, soon after, a crazy race started that literally created a new lifestyle. This time it was not only a mere change in habits that was involved. It was a matter of a through transformation in the “nature” of relationships. With all the myriad of “things” that now people can “do” with their mobile phones, some individuals have lost interest in direct communication, preferring to exchange news, to chat, to play etc. via the tiny electronic device they constantly carry as a third, indispensable appendix to their hand. The taste for personal connections has consistently decreased. Nowadays many — even when they are with others — prefer to use their omnipresent technological companion instead of simply “talking” to each other.

It goes without saying that (especially) the younger ones who choose to live this way, are totally satisfied with the situation, and would find it unconceivable to live differently. They seem to have no idea of a previous, somewhat different way of living. They anxiously wait for any new “app” that will appear on the market, believing that their lives will become increasingly fuller, happier, more fulfilled. Looking from a distance, as an outsider (as I am), one can definitely notice a wilting interest in direct contact, in culture, in serious world issues. The universe is rapidly shrinking. Those who are younger than I will be able to see where all this is going. I, personally, am afraid of making a prediction (in case I might be right!)