Why Must We Always Communicate?

The soul selects her own society,/Then shuts the door;/On her divine majority/Obtrude no more. –Emily Dickinson Today, of course, anyone reflective enough to read the occasional 19th century poet while still spending hours steeped in the ersatz social swim of Twitter and Facebook might be baffled by the above quote. Why should a soul “shut the door” when there are those great new pictures Jared just posted, including the one where Britni got loaded and took off her top and twirled it over her head like a stripper? Why indeed, when there are so many cool people out there in virtual society, some of whom might even be using their real names? (There’s just the question of posting a new profile picture—maybe something just a bit hotter, since everyone can't stop gawking at Britni with her top off.) Self-exposure, whether actual or digital, is now the norm. There is a mania for “connectedness,” of never being out of touch for even a nanosecond, so that any member of our virtual tribe can email, text, tweet, or phone at any time. The Big Brother of 1984 is now our actual brother, Facebook “friend,” co-worker, neighbor, or voyeuristic stranger—when we’re not turning the camera on ourselves. And in exchange, we get to hear about it every time they have a cup of coffee, go to the gym, wash the ‘Vette, or clean out their garage—or colon. With some reluctance, I