I read a book recently. The title and the story are basically forgettable- a light book trying to disguise itself as current and now and deep. There is nothing worse than a book or TV show or movie that is trying to take itself too seriously. Or a blogger…but that’s a whole other thing…
What annoyed me most, along with the pretention and righteousness, was the use of the word CONTACTLESS. Everything in this book was contactless. Obviously, the book was written during pandemic, so I understand grabbing onto the hot new phrase, but yet…
Contactless
I don’t want to live in a world where contactless is commonplace.
I don’t want to worry about touching.
I want to forge connections.
Contactless just sounds robotic. And I don’t want to be a robot. I want to be a real, live human being who makes real, live connections. I want to interact with people. I don’t want to live my whole life on a screen…
What is the point of anything if we decide to close ourselves off into little boxes…never letting anyone in…never letting ourselves out…
Think about how you want to live the rest of your life…it’s not going anywhere. If you’re happy living on a screen, so be it. But don’t get mad at the people who are aren’t. Don’t get mad at the people choosing to make contact.
I want to make contact.
Waking up on the Wrong Side of 50 
I totally agree LA! Contactless sounds cold and uncaring! I also choose contact!
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I totally agree! I can’t believe there are people out there who want a contactless Christmas. You just missed grandma’s last Christmas because grandma could die. If this is how forever is going to be, it’s terribly sad. We all need human interaction even if it’s a kind word exchanged with a stranger. I think with contactless we are giving up more than we think we are.
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My Father is really not well. You bet your ass I’m seeing him for Christmas because there’s probably not going to be the opportunity next year.
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As you should! None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Live life to the fullest today. I’m glad you are visiting your dad. I’m sorry you are going through this, it’s hard. 💙💙
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I think it will depend on you and your state. Some states you will be free to mingle and others will charge you for comingling. I hope this is a science fiction novel but I am not sure.
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It’s all science fiction…😆
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That’s right!
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Hug the people you love! I do kinda like those RFID credit cards that you just hover over the scanner. I’m not a fan of trendy words like Contactless or the idea of a life without contact.
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Yeah…the scanners are ok…but otherwise…no
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A contactless world is cold & uninviting. No thanks
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Just a shallow untalented author trying to sound hip and on the cutting edge. Don’t think I would have made it past page 5. I might be an introvert and prefer dogs over 99% of people but I still enjoy a workday from the coffee shop or library or the local park.
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We are not meant to live in isolation….or on screens
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Absolutely
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I only like contactless when it means I can order ahead on my app and skip lines. I’m somewhat a hermit, but a contactless Christmas is too depressing to consider
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Yup. With you!
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I agree, LA! The word “contactless” makes me think hands off, no messiness and blah. Life for me is all about relationships and all that comes with them. Even in this forum when your write and we respond, there is real meaning and contact that comes when we engage. And I feel better for it.
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Couldn’t agree more. A friend of mine who lives alone said she desperately missed human touch during the pandemic. She’s a nurse and works with ballet dancers, so her work normally involves touch – and she touched absolutely no-one for a long long time. I was moved to tears by her words. My Mum isn’t a touchy feely person, but even she appreciated touch during the pandemic.
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We are not supposed to be alone and in isolation
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AMEN!!
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Yes to contact. Nothing like a good hug. I am holding you in my thoughts about your dad. My mom is 98 and will be spending 3 days here. I am gladly giving up our bedroom so she feels comfortable. Can’t wait to give her a hug and sit and visit with her even though it is frustrating sometimes and she says inappropriate things and I don’t want to hear about my sister and blah, blah, blah. Sorry, rant over. Contact is good.
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Thank you! And feel free to rant!
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We are created to be relational beings. >I>Contactless sounds very sterile and cold even though it’s now meant to take on the connotation of caring concern during the pandemic. I’ve tired of living in this dystopian novel where many things in daily life is reported to be toxic. I pray you have opportunities to make more wonderful memories with your dad this Christmas. 💜
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My word for the year is endemic…
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The only good meaning of contactless was after my cataract surgery I didn’t have to wear contacts. For the first time since 7th grade I was contactless. 🙂
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Yup. I’ll give you that one
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I quite enjoyed lockdown. People are alright, but I didn’t miss most of them.
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I missed doing things. And lockdown meant I was 24/7 with husband and daughter. Not a good thing
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That’s because you are nice, sociable and well-balanced. 🙂 I, on the other hand, am not.
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Though I’m not a touchy-feely person, no contact would definitely be a bad thing. We’re already losing touch with each other by staring at screens all the time. Have a memorable Christmas with your dad, LA.
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Thank you! That’s just it…I’m not a touchy-feely person either. And I get that three of my closest friends live in different parts of the country and we all text as opposed to seeing each other.however….shutting ourselves off isn’t really a good thing
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That book is a fortelling of the future if the METAVERSE actually becomes a thing.
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Woo hop…we’ve made people obsolete….
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Yeah that appears to be the plan
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Ridiculous
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The world is already becoming that way LA, so slowly people are missing it creeping in. How many people now pay for goods in shop using their phones, use self service check outs, do on line banking rather than visit the bank, all these things take away that small interaction with live people. Doctors visits are now a rarity, most are done online or over the phone. People zoom rather than visit, I know in these times that is the safe way, but it was happening before the pandemic. It’s a sad fact that the young of today like to live this way and they are the ones that will one day run the world, not those of us who remember the days when face to face was the norm.
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It’s a bit sad to me
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Connections are key. I’m a huge hugger by nature so contactless would make me lose my mind.
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It’s very easy to get awash in futility of life if we don’t connect with others
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Contact is so important to human nature. The pandemic has shown me that even though I’m an introvert, I still need to connect with others.
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That’s my pandemic lesson. People need to occasionally see other people…
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I share you distaste for books (or movies) that take themselves too seriously! And in my opinion, one of the worst lasting legacies of the pandemic will be the damage that was done by forcing people to stay out of contact with each other. We need human contact, on a very basic level, and now we’ve become afraid of it!
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That’s just it! We’ve become scared of it…the fact that people look at you strangely if you go to see your family. I don’t understand this at all.
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Contactless? I didn’t know that was a word
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I grinned and thought to myself – you are always reading books! I agree that being without contact with people is sad and unhealthy. I think loneliness is detrimental to physical and mental health.
The snow was less this morning and easier to shovel. Regardless of the wind or snow, people are out walking. Some like me hiding under layers and only eyes peeking out, and others ignoring their red cold faces and somehow ignoring the temperatures.
That’s life though eh? I am bundled up for protection from the elements, but others seem to pretend the elements don’t effect them. Is that too serious?
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Lockdowns and a contactless existence have done more damage than a disease with a 99.97% survivability rate.
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Did you know there are 1.3 million attempted suicides each year? Why aren’t we worried about that number?talk about something avoidable….
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Y E S!!
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I know!!
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So do I my friend. So do I.
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