Pondering life without devices

We have many devices - most for communications sake, yet few of us speak to each other.  I find this disheartening.  I find it more and more difficult that the more machines we create, the further and further we get from being close nit humans.  Of course we're close (most people) with our families and few friends ... but we hide behind these 'things.'  They've become our discomfort protectors.  There often even rude and annoying.  I've even sensed peoples fear behind their devices.  These things are our disconnect from society.  

If I were to be able to go back in time, I'd go back to when people helped each other - and communities rallied together in difficult times.  Not just during a huge catastrophe.  I am a communicator by nature - and if I don't talk to people -- I get weird.  Yes, I said "weird."  I believe this is part of the worlds problems.  We walk around acting like others don't exist.  When someone can lie hurt on a sidewalk, and no one stops to see about them - just walks on by ... what has happened to mankind?  Where oh where has our sense of community, our hearts, our basic human nature of kindness - caring gone?  We all know that these kinds of things happen - and we know that people judge the homeless.  Everybody judges.   On some level, try and not do it!  It's like trying to not see a pink polka dotted giraffe now that I've mentioned it.  

What happened, and when did we begin to become so afraid of each other?  I'd like someone to answer that for me.  Who instilled this fear?  Who keeps perpetuating it?  Has anyone thought about these electronic devices, and why we're so tied to them?  And why there being manufactured at such an alarming rate?  How long will it be until humans no longer go outside, never entering an office, nor do anything but function with a machine?  I wonder how many years this is away?  

I enjoy people.  I used to listen to people, and give feedback for a living.  I gave lectures - I taught.  I worked with humans on multiple levels.  I don't recall ever actually being afraid, and I worked in a prison.  Perhaps I'm gullible... but I just did not sense danger when dealing with humans.  Not that there isn't danger out there, because I know that there is.  I did not say I've never experienced it.  But, for the sake of this  particular writing I'm going to give people the benefit of the doubt.  

I wonder what would happen if for one day all of our toys quit working?  If we had to actually ask for what we needed, face to face?  I wonder.  I wonder if we'd start to help each other, or be kinder?  Or if we'd see that neighbor, we've never acknowledged because or faces are stuffed in our phones.  I wonder if we'd strike up a conversation with the elderly lady on the street corner that hasn't talked to anyone in a week.  I just wonder if we might find an opportunity to stop and help someone in need that we otherwise wouldn't even notice.  

I guess I wonder lots of things.  I hope this makes you wonder too.  Perhaps you'll speak to your neighbor.  Perhaps you'll smile at the elderly woman at the crosswalk, or say hello.  We've got to get back to being mankind again or we're never going to flourish as a society.  The further we go toward separateness the farther we are towards destruction of our country - and that is just my opinion.  No wonder depression and suicide is so high.  God did not create just one man to live out life alone.  We are supposed to do this thing together.