Like Is For Cowards By Jonathan Franzen

On May 28, 2011 Jonathan Franzen published the story “like is for cowards. Go for what hurts.” in the New York Times. In the story Franzen claims that people are more connected and infatuated with technology than they are with the real world. Since technology takes ups a majority of our lives it effects our ability to create relationships and to love others. Franzen states that technology has advanced so much, most people have no desire to go out in the real world and connect with others. Phones now days are made to give us everything that we ask for without ever letting us down. Social media sites such as face book, Instagram, and twitter allow people to hide behind technology and still become likable. Franzen believes the goal of technology is to replace the real world indefinitely. In the story Franzen states that he developed many issues with his old blackberry that he had for three years. Franzen became so dependent of his phone when he felt it was becoming out dated he began questioning its trust, accountability, and even compatibility. When Franzen replaced his old blackberry with a newer updated
Hiding behind technology and isolating one’s self is not healthy for any persons. People may be scared of feeling pain or rejection but those emotions and feelings are what make us feel alive and what make us human. When people become so isolated from the real world and its problems they may become depressed or loose the sense of emotional connection. If you were to quit hiding behind technology and get yourself out in the real world who knows what would happen, a person may actual have a relationship, fall in love with something, and most importantly live their life to the fullest. To live is to have feelings and to face problem head on, not to hide behind something and merely pretend like those issues do not