Technology is often portrayed in the popular press as a source of peril for society. It is fashionable to decry the “addictiveness” of social media, for instance, or the “distractedness” engendered by consumer devices such as the smart phone. Digital technology is said to be tearing down democracy, harming our mental health, destroying our personal relationships, and other similarly bold claims. Yet, we find during this global pandemic and its resulting social isolation, modern technology — and yes, even social media — are playing a critical role in helping us sustain human connections.
I know this from experience. For my wife and me, social media was a lifeline during the worst trial of our lives, providing a tangible example of the value of social capital. Our experience offers a hopeful example as we try to overcome social isolation and help one another during the coronavirus pandemic.
On June 11, 2019, I took my wife to the emergency room after she woke up unable to move her right leg and experiencing debilitating neck pain. She had given birth to our healthy baby boy, our first child, only three weeks prior. Stumped by her symptoms, the doctors examined numerous MRIs and CT scans for three days. They were surprised to find a rare eight-centimeter tumor growing in the middle of her upper spinal cord.
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