i was 18 in 1997 which was kind of when the internet really picked up. i didn't get a cell phone until i was in my early 20's for emergencies, and then i moved across the country and had a phone that was only used for phone calls (no texting). i kept in better touch with my friends because you HAD to call them or send a long catch up email. you couldn't just passively scroll and instagram story.

now it's much more lonely, you have to make a video call and people seem bothered by it, it's hard to make plans with people because we're all introverts suddenly and it takes a lot of effort to stop scrolling and get out into your life.

i think that this would have been less without social media and smart phones. i think we would be a different and better society.