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Will online ever replace real life?

Woman taking selfie at home

There is no doubt that we are living in an increasingly digital world, and the pandemic has only accelerated this trend. 

Sometimes I muse about whether kids in the future will even feel the need to shop at stores, dine at restaurants, attend college, or watch movies in person.

For starters, we can do most of our shopping on Amazon. 

And why spend time waiting for a table at a restaurant when you can have the meal delivered in less than 30 minutes via Uber Eats or DoorDash? 

Then there's movies. No need to trek to the theater when you can save a few bucks by waiting a month or two for the movie to be made available on Amazon Prime or Netflix. 

College students needn't leave their homes in order to get a college education as many institutions of higher learning now offer fully online degrees. 

And a growing number of employers are now allowing their employees to work from home -- a trend that isn't necessarily going away post-pandemic. 

Chances are there's at least one person you know who's become a bit more web savvy as a result of the pandemic. 

Maybe it's your 75-year-old mom becoming an avid Facebook user or your young daughter communicating via text for the first time. 

We should appreciate having the flexibility to lean on the web for virtually all our needs as we aimed to socially distance and contain the spread of the virus. We would be the envy of those who grappled with the Spanish flu of 1918. 

However, I don't believe people will limit themselves to a wholly online world anytime soon. 

As good as watching YouTube videos of sun-bathed islands and thrilling rollercoaster rides may be, it's no substitute for a real vacation -- for the thrill of experiencing it all in the flesh. 

You can meet new people online, but you can't chat over drinks or partake in fun activities together virtually. 

What's more, ask a bibliophile or car enthusiast whether shopping online for books or vehicles mirrors doing so in person and they'll likely laugh in your face.

The human desire to touch, feel, see, smell -- not just products but other human beings -- could never be supplanted by laptops, tablets, and smartphones. 

At the same time, it's nice to know that we can escape to cyberspace when the real world becomes a bit difficult to bear. There's no denying that the internet enhances and makes easier our daily lives.

However, the human connection can only be realized and indelible memories created -- whether at weddings, funerals, or ballgames --when people meet face to face. The world is just too big and dynamic for us to remained holed up all the time. 

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