Monday, January 23, 2012

Mechanic Breakup


Dear Ilana Gershon,

After reading various interviews of relationship breakups from your article "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lovers," it really occur to me that virtual breakups seem to be used more often than to my knowledge. With the various technology mediums the society now have, people have a lot more ways of contacting each other, whether if it is business related or more of an intimate related topic. Knowing that we now have alternative ways of reaching people other than the classic face-to-face strategy, you really focused on the relationship aspect of the virtual world. I utterly agree your stance on the wrong usage of technology with relationship breakups.
The incident concerning Olivier and his wife from the beginning of your book demonstrated a great example as to how virtual breakups can really affect an individual as well as causing confusion. By using emails, instant messaging and second-order information technologies to alert people with intimate subjects such as breaking up and requesting a divorce, it can leave the other party in the state of feeling surprised, unexpected, and sometimes awkward. To deliver such an intimate message with a casual tool instead of face-to-face can be seen as disrespectful, even insulting. Even while applying the difference between people's media ideologies, it is inexcusable to take such a matter so lightly. While some people can argue that transferring feelings through texts is acceptable, I really do not see how people can express their joy and happiness as well as sadness and grief over a few letters on their phones.
All of your interviews and examples really intrigued me. It gave an insight as well as a side of perspective people might have on relationships with the use of technology. It is very practical and can be helpful toward any real life situations.

Sincerely,
Michael Liang

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