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Death by Technology visits the duality of social media and how we use it with a colorful web of green, blue and red nearly hidden under a black veil of paint.

We can isolate ourselves and bring people closer all with the same platform. I once reconnected with a long lost friend after 14 years simply by looking her up on Facebook- it took about 14 seconds to learn she was alive and well and living not too far away- within a matter of weeks we were having lunch together. And my very first boyfriend, as in “aren’t they cute together at eight years old” kind of boyfriend, and I are also friends on Facebook. I don’t think I’ve seen or spoken to him since 2nd grade, but I can tell you he became a vet and is doing well for himself as his profile posts, photos, and listed employment suggests.

However, on the flip side, my close friends and even neighbors who live just a few steps away who are easily accessible can get neglected for weeks since I no longer need to ask '“Hey, what have you been up to?” because I see it on social media. I dont need to say “How did the move go?” because they’ve journaled the experience on social media. I dont feel the need to check in as much because I’ve been watching their stream of posts or stories unfold in real time. But those posts and stories are not our direct connection, they aren’t a hug or a lended hand with their move. So much is left out of what we post. Its crazy to assume we know everything about our close friends because we see some social media content, and the other side of that coin is its nice to know that people who have become strangers dude to time or distance can still be verified as “doing well” with a simple scroll of their page.