Human interaction was

under discussion yesterday...on line at least.

On line was also the way I "talked" with other people. It was a dismal sort of day - about 11'C for the most part. It rained. I decided not to get my fur wet and stayed at home because I could. A day without face to face human interaction doesn't bother me too much. I have plenty to do and a couple of interesting things came up in other ways.

As I was giving the refrigerator a little clean I was also thinking about "self-service" in the supermarket and other places. I was also thinking about the lack of social interaction.

When I was a mere kitten and we lived in the country social interaction was a very different sort of thing. Even before I went to school I was able to pedal off on my "Dinky" trike with the carry tray on the back. Mum would actually send me down to the one shop or to the butcher or to the baker. (Yes, they were actually separate places.) I knew how to buy what was needed - hand the note over in the shop or the butcher or tell the baker's wife we needed a loaf of bread. I knew to wait for the change and more. 

I also knew that part of the process was about talking to people. I knew I was expected to thank whoever opened the heavy doors for me. I knew I had to answer polite questions about whether everyone was well or agree that we had enjoyed the Sunday School picnic. It was all part of normal life in the country. All the usual residents of the little place knew me and so did most of the outlying farmers and their families. It was the same for every other child. I suppose we were safe because of this. There was never any trouble - or not that my parents told me about later in life. 

On Sundays people went to church. Afterwards the adults stood around and talked. It was "catch up" time. I suppose it must have been gossip as well but it served a purpose. If "X" was not at church and known to be unwell then people knew about it, knew if help was needed. If "Y" was not there it was because a new baby had arrived in the night. There were all sorts of reasons. 

People looked out for one another. If you helped your neighbours they helped you. It might not have eradicated loneliness or mental illness but it went a long towards supporting those who were lonely or had issues with depression.

Here in the city it was different but people still went to church and shopping was a social experience. You expected to change a few words about the weather or a child or some incident when you bought the Sunday joint or stopped to get the bread. While the shop keepers did not know all the children they knew the very local children - and the troublemakers. 

Now you can do an entire week's shopping and not say a word to anyone. It might be much faster but is it really a good thing? What is it that everyone is doing that is so urgent they can't even say "thank you" to the steadily dwindling number of check out staff? 

Yesterday a team won a sports match. "Everyone" (but only one family) in our street seems to have been "cheering them on". It means so many people are on a short-lived adrenalin "high". The "buzz" might continue until the next match is over but it is not going to be the same sort of long term feeling of well being that comes from close and caring contact with each other.