Disconnection: It’s Not a New Problem

He was slammed all day and went without lunch again. The 2-day-old leftovers in his company fridge weren’t very appetizing anyway, but he sure was hungry now. As he walked by his wife, he gave her a kiss and could see she was scrolling through her Facebook feed, so he sat down across from her at the table and took out his own phone.⁣
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She looked up after she finished reading an article her sister posted, but her husband was already looking down at his phone. She’d been on her phone too, so she didn’t resent him for it. Much of the time they spent together, they were on their devices – everyone was. She dismissed her thoughts, and looked back down at her feed.⁣
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Edward Hopper’s 1932, Room in New York, depicts a similar scene. He’s engrossed in his newspaper, she’s playing a melancholy, one-note song. The disconnection is palpable to the viewer outside their city brownstone.⁣

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Fast-forward nearly a century, and the scene has changed, but the disconnection is still there. Instead of a newspaper, it’s a smart phone. Instead of the viewer on the street, it’s the followers and friends on social media. It seems everyone has a highlight reel for the world to view, but if it were honest, it would show the couples looking away, distracted, and disconnected.⁣
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Dudes are escaping. It’s not the newspaper anymore – it’s gaming, porn, work obligations, and the list goes on. It’s easier to connect to an online gaming partner 5,000 miles away than it is to connect with our real-life partner sitting 3 feet away. Why?⁣
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Science tells us, when we are depleted cognitively, we give up more quickly. By the time we have time, we’re too tired to give much effort. It’s not a coincidence that couples spend their last waking hours in front of the TV before bed. They’re too tired and cognitively depleted to do anything else.⁣
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What can you do to take back control and connect? Prioritize your time.Don’t over obligate yourself and try to create white space so you have the energy to connect with your partner. An Alpha takes responsibility. An Alpha stays engaged. Make the time to Alpha up👊💪