by Earl Betts

Created on: July 10, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

Technically Romantic

Technology today has given romance both good and bad traits. Prior to the information superhighway putting an onramp in your living room, single people needed to physically get out of the house and go somewhere else to meet people. Now, with that aforementioned onramp, romance has the same convenience as online banking. We can now meet people all over the world from all walks of lifewell, almost. There are a few people left in the world who are not "connected" to the web, living in the lands technology forgot. I am sure that once they get electricity and a modem, we will be able to meet them too, just don't hold your breath.

ANYWAY, you meet the person of your dreams online (yay technology!), you give them your blackberry address and cell phone number (yay technology!), using the internet, you plan a wonderful weekend getaway (yay technology!), you find the perfect gift online for your sweetie and have it direct shipped to them (yay technology!). Everyone knows that technology is faster than "real life", so naturally romance has the ability to hitch a ride on the coat tails of our electronic technology. Meaning, after roughly 50 emails, 100 text messages, 5 gifts purchased online, 10 ordered gifts and 10 dinner reservations made online, it is possible the relationship could head for a high tech proposal or break up. Should it be the proposal, all wedding invitations can be emailed with photos, video and music. "Click here to RSVP for yourself and a guest. Click this link to the airline and hotel chosen by the bride & groom to be." Seeits all very easy!

Just as easy is the high tech break up. The high-tech equivalent to the episode of "Sex in the City", where a character wakes up to a break-up Post-It on the pillow beside her. You could get the "it's not you it's me" via your cell phone text message center, or a lengthy email explaining why "it's better this way". Either way, you need only reply to indicate the message has been received. TA DA! You are free to get back online, update your dating profile to include things about your most recent relationship that you don't want to go through again, and you are back in the dating pool!

The saddest part of this, no matter which way the relationship goes, is the fact that the digital revolution in relationships has all but eliminated the personal involvement. I have talked to people so upset about the breakup of a relationship born, maintained and killed online that they have actually contemplated suicide. I know there is a person on the other end of that email, but if all you know about that person is their email, aren't you merely breaking up with the plot in an online story? Is it really breaking up if were never really together, or is it more of a refusal to continue reading?

All this only leads to one big question. Has technology gone one step too far? Should a ceremony of such reverence, be handled through carefully arranged electrons? Should a situation as sensitive as the death of a relationship, be as easy as blocking a user on your chat client? Leaving a voicemail about a lost puppy is one thing, but leaving a voicemail regarding lost interest in a lover deserves some eye contact. Be human enough to tell someone, face to face, why the relationship is ending. For those of you still hell bent on the high tech solution, eye contact in person, not video conference.

I guess that is the difference between "being romantic, technically" and "being technically romantic."

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