A friend of mine once dialed a wrong phone number and reached an elderly woman, who said, “I live alone and don’t have anyone to talk to. Can we chat for a few minutes?” My friend agreed, and they had a lovely conversation.
The woman in question was not an isolated case. Nearly half of Americans report feeling isolated after COVID. Millions of people are affected by loneliness. The rates of heart disease, stroke and depression are higher among those who lack strong social bonds.
Our need for relationship is so important to our well-being that we create artificial versions of it when we don’t have the real thing – things like emails, texting, even social media and video conferencing. These tools, as wonderful as they are, can only simulate relationships. They can’t replace human to human connection.
People with a vibrant social life live on average four years longer and are happier and healthier than those who do not. Connecting with others helps us live a life of greater meaning and purpose.
Remember that your design is for close, personal face-to-face communication.
