Everywhere I look, I see people with eyes glazed over, reflecting the effulgent glow of an LED screen. They don’t notice me. They don’t notice much of anything. They hear only music through earbuds, and scroll around on their phone searching fruitlessly for something amusing, funny, entertaining, infuriating, something that exists online that is better than the surrounding reality. A constant stream of information. We let in what we want and keep out what we don’t. Our phones have become our own little worlds. An escape from everyone else’s.

Those with a general disdain of people have discovered the simple wonder of having earbuds in their ears or looking down at their phone. It’s an instant, somewhat acceptable indication that they aren’t interested in talking to anyone. When someone has earbuds in, no one bothers them. In the event of an awkward encounter with someone, phones emerge from pockets and eyes glance down at probably nothing other than a lock screen and the time. Clearly to those who seek a way to exist in society but not partake this then, is the very epitome of being antisocial. But to a further extent, technology provides a unique means of being antisocial and social.

With the ever increasing use of technology and social media, solitaires now can even pretend to be social in the long run. As the society of the “real world” becomes digitalized, it’s incredibly easy for one to lurk in the shadows of the internet and watch what their “friends” and “followers” are up to in their suspiciously glamorous lives full of beautiful people and interesting things. When the social value of someone is numerical, how easy is it to scrape by, under the radar? Have some friends, follow some cool people, post something from time to time, no one will ever know your detestation of society’s pressures and normalities. How much you can’t stand people’s ignorance and their meaningless, fabricated lives. By blending in you appear to be one of them and despite everything, you appear to be social

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.