People now drive many miles to work, to day care, to school, to shop, and to places of worship. Generic-feeling and impersonal chain stores have supplanted neighborhood hangouts and shops. In addition, there is a growing sense of isolation in many places. In many communities, people don' t feel safe going out. They often live far away from friends and family.
People tend to focus their social lives at home.
It s possible now to get more done, work from just about anywhere, and be in almost instant communication with people all over the world. Larry Keeley, president of the Chicago-based Doblin Group, a consulting group owned by Perot Systems, believes that while technologies bring us closer to those who are geographically distant, they also take us further away from those who are physically close. Just think of the times you ve been engaged in pleasant conversation with a friend, colleague, or family member. Then the phone rings or your pager beeps. But we still need to make contact in some way.