If technology is the answer, what the heck is the question??

Since the early 19th century and the onset of the Industrial Revolution, humanity’s relationship with technology has been one best described as Love-Hate. For centuries, the main struggle was between a) the love of luxury and convenience that technology provides, and b) the hated loss of jobs that technology inevitably brings.

The original technology haters were “Luddites” – English textile artisans who, like their namesake Ned Ludd, violently protested against the machinery that made it possible to replace them with less-skilled, low-wage workers, thus leaving them without a job. Since then, countless jobs and professions around the world have been transformed by technological discoveries and inventions.

Lately, however, we humans have come face-to-face with another specter of technology – namely, the unforeseen separation from our sense of belonging and personal contact. We’re suddenly out of touch… living in a Matrix-like world of emoticons, text phrases, photos, videos, 24-hour cable news and mobile apps.

This is nothing new. Author and futurist John Naisbitt wrote about this phenomenon in his books entitled Megatrends and High Tech, High Touch back in the 1980’s and 90’s. He speculated that all of us have an innate desire to balance our “high tech” needs with those needs that cry out for human contact, i.e., “high touch.” For every IT technologist, there must be a massage therapist (or Life Coach) to balance the scales!

But suddenly there is a button – or an app – for everything. Wake up. Fix coffee. Check text messages. Check world news. Check scores. Find your keys. Find a restaurant. Then meet with a friend while both of you spend the whole time thumbing the updates to your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles!

This High Tech revolution is also taking place at the same time we are experiencing decreased touch, i.e., taboos about touching children, the exploding availability of digital communication, and the drop in spelling and writing education.

In short, we no longer control technology. Technology now controls us . . . or at least the current generation who form relationships by sharing things remote and digital, even when they’re sitting at the same table!

As a Life coach, you have quite a challenge. How do you help clients solve relationship problems, for example, when they’ve never even learned how to speak in person? Is this “the question”??

I’ve got the answer. Text me and I’ll get back to you…