There are few people in the civilized world who are not connected to everything with electronic devices, and these include cell phones, tablets and computers. People have found they can live almost their entire life through social media platforms, retail outlets and even special order companies with these devices. For those who are in a relationship, distance no longer has much bearing on them. They communicate on a regular basis with message services, emails and live chats. While the connection seems to be much better than ever between couples, there are downsides to all this electronic communication.
Email or a letter
Before the world had ever heard of electronic mail, people used to write to each other on paper. They would send their letters to each other through postal services after laboriously writing down each and every word. The effort put forth by them to connect with a loved one took time, and the person who received it had a piece of paper they could keep and read again whenever they were lonely. Emails can be accessed on most computers on a regular basis, but there is nothing to hold in the hand as a keepsake. It might be faster and easier to email a partner, but it is not necessarily the same as sitting down and writing a letter.
Electronic message services
Chat services and texts have become an integral part of how many people communicate, and even live chats are now available to those who are separated by distance. All of these can help a relationship in the short term, but there is no personal contact through them. Messages and texts are great for those who will be together shortly, but they lack the personal interaction and body language of talking in person. While live chats provide a visual of the person as they speak, the element of personal contact is still missing from them. The lack of personal interaction can affect a relationship over the long run, but it does help with short term physical separation.
The feeling of neglect
While two people have more options to connect than ever before, their relationship can suffer from a lack of personal contact. Couples need to hold hands, see each other and interact on a personal level for their relationship to flourish and grow. A person might have the feeling their partner is neglecting them if they rely solely on electronic communications, and it can have a negative impact on their wish to continue the relationship
Society is still adjusting to the introduction of advanced electronics for personal communication, and they may eventually replace most physical contact between people. For those in a relationship, old-fashioned communication in the same room is still a necessity many of them prefer. While electronic communications can help a new relationship grow, they have not yet replaced the need for personal contact over the long term.
