A Letter from Your Senses

Dear Human,

Things have changed. We can see, hear, smell, taste and feel the difference.

Where are the vibrant reds, yellows, greens and blues? All we see now are pixels. The faces on the screen confuse us. We miss the real faces, the ones that wrinkle with happiness at the sight of yours and create human necessities like endorphins and emotions.

We miss the sound of real twitter: birds. We miss the “aahs” and “oohs” at the cinemas (Netflix doesn’t feel grand enough) and the sound of your landline’s ringtone. (Do you even have a landline anymore? We haven’t seen it in a while).

We remember your birthday being a lot noisier with phone calls and songs. Remember your favorite CD? The one you would play so loud your speakers would have to be replaced every few months? The earphones just don’t feel the same.

We miss the warm hugs, cool breezes and fresh pages. All we feel now is static. We used to love feeling the thin pages and sharp edges of the newspaper; it had such character! We are a little bored of the smooth screens. They all feel the same. We miss being tagged. Not the Facebook tag, but the quick pat and brush on your arm indicating you were ‘it’.

Remember that burning sensation of getting the sea’s water up your nose? It was so painful, even your lungs could taste it! The comfort of your bed while you scroll on your phone isn’t as exciting as the textures of the sand grains between your toes.

We miss the smell of fresh earthy soil right after the rains. Your walks around the neighborhood were our favorite. The air smelled crisp, the breeze felt assuring and the sky looked promising. Everything felt real.

Ever heard of sensory dynamism? “The concept has to do with our perception. When you look out of a window, you perceive millions of variances, color, perspective, sounds, feeling, and many others. But when you gaze at an iPad, you’re sensing just a few variables – and with email and SMS, you may barely be using your senses. That could pose a problem in the long run for future human development.”

Neema Moraveji, the director of the Calming Technology Lab at Stanford University, says, "I describe the brain as an organ whose job it is to learn through its physiochemical and cognitive senses. Without sufficient dynamism, the brain becomes focused on particular senses and inputs that are not representative of the natural world.”

“If a 'human being' transforms into something that's more electronic than biological, there is a concern that a future society will lose the distinctions of emotional connection.”

Things have changed, but we can’t understand it. With more technology and less reality, we are bored and afraid. Our hope is for you to think of us every now and then. The five of us are what makes you a living being and it is only a matter of time before each of us starts to fade.

Sincerely,

Your senses.

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