Conectando Pessoas

Amazed by the old man’s resounding ignorance, someone who had lived in a civilisation and time so far removed, the young man perked up. He wanted to show him how, nowadays, everyone is connected. Television, the Internet, telephones, mobile phones, aeroplanes…

“Just on the Internet, for example, we’ve got email, forums, chatrooms, Skype, Messenger, Orkut… And now all of that can be accessed from anywhere, by anyone, no one is ever alone anymore.”

The old man listened patiently and agreed that it all did sound rather interesting. Then, smiling, he shook his head gently, a near-sorrowful no. That magical moment just before a wise man speaks.

And he said: “It’s a pity you still rely on such outdated methods. My people, too, consider communication to be of the utmost importance. But for that, we use the eyes, touch, ears and voice. Above all, we use love and understanding.”

Without pride, and without any desire to cling to reason, he concluded: “You truly are not alone, but never in my life have I seen people so sad and so lonely. You’ve created something truly new: collective loneliness.”