I have detected an ennui, a dissatisfaction among people I know.
This ennui seems to be unrelated to stage of life, success in business, or any other obvious factor.
My son is leaving the Bay Area with his wife to travel around the United States for three months to see if there is a better place to live. They call their trip "the search for intelligent life."
I think I know the problem.
The Internet is the problem. On the Internet my intellectual companions are readily available and scattered around the planet. One is in Jerusalem, another in Tel Aviv, a third in Calgary, several in Tokyo, another in Venice California.
These are now important friends with whom I am comfortable. I need my regular contact with them.
Therefore I am impelled to feel that my life in San Francisco is inadequate because I do not have these friends as close physical companions. I have plenty of friends and a few locals who are really close. But I’d say half of my vital friends are only via the Internet.
I think that my ennui and that of others is because of the wonder of the Internet.
We can't possibly have the kinds of close relationships that are important and have those relationships be local. The Internet has spoiled us in a strange way.