The Importance of Human Connection

The digital native generation is the first to grow up in a globally connected yet personally disconnected world. They have never experienced life without screens, yet they seem to sense that something very natural is missing. Reportedly, many young people today are feeling lost. Some college-aged people have even claimed that their childhoods were stolen from them due to early and consistent exposure to screen-life, and they are expressing the desire for more offline gatherings. 

Some Design Academy students in Eindhoven have traded in iPhones for Nokia to see what low-tech life feels like. Others, young and old alike, may choose the cashier line at the grocery store over self-check-out, opting for human interaction over efficiency. These micro protests are small ways of showing demand for a more human-connected world.

Today’s innovations—digital technologies, sophisticated algorithms, and super-human intelligence to name a few—sit at a crossroads between enabling human flourishing and eroding human connection. On one hand, they provide unprecedented opportunities for efficiency, reach, and discovery. On the other, they are increasingly displacing slower, more traditional ways of living that help support healthy relationships and connection in community.

Can technology facilitate more human connection or is that a contradiction in terms? Perhaps a healthy balance can be discovered and technology can be used as an enabler, pushing us to face life rather than escape from it behind a screen. This calls for thoughtful development of technologies with a more deliberate, human-centered approach, focusing on the personal and tangible aspects of life.

There are certain practices that, even if possible, should arguably never become automated by machines. Reiki, for example, is a holistic practice that works directly with the body. It begins with a connection between the receiver and the facilitator, who works with their hands and body to unblock energy flows. Similarly, many forms of therapy can help people work through past traumas, unblock debilitating patterns, and become more perceptive in their experiences and relationships. Should this responsibility be handed over to machines?

There are examples of digital innovations that are being used to minimize distractions and support human-to-human connection. Calm technology, for example, promotes designing technology to be as unobtrusive as possible. And voice technology has been used to comfort children undergoing frightening medical procedures or to translate conversations in real time across languages, increasing mutual understanding. 

The “serendipitous city” refers to the concept of creating urban environments where unexpected discoveries can happen. It can be seen as a countermovement or supplement to the “smart city”, which uses various technologies to improve efficiency (including sustainability and quality of life). The serendipitous city consciously designs digital platforms and public spaces to promote chance encounters or unplanned exploration. Could serendipity be integrated into other forms of emerging technologies?

And despite the many valid criticisms of digital platforms like social media, some also enable people to find niche communities globally, helping isolated individuals connect through shared interests or ideas. The various examples cited in this discussion signal that technology can act as an enabler, a support, and even a connecting tool when thoughtfully designed and used.

Technology need not be the answer to every human problem. But a society that uses calm technologies to serendipitously connect more deeply could be a worthwhile innovation. Young people today are not alone in the desire for more human connection, and for older people, the memory of a more connected world is still within reach. Multi-generational collaborations could help shape future innovations, bringing the best of both worlds together.

Concept contributors: Mila Chorbadzhieva, Maron Galama, Jessica Smarsch, Koen Snoeckx, and Raymond van Ee

Writing & Illustration: Jessica Smarsch