Sunday, November 3, 2013

Falling In Love Via The Airwaves


Typical Sundays for me happily include a complete reading of the “big” paper. And in the “big” paper today, there were two pages dedicated to the most anticipated movies for this holiday season including snippets of what they were about and who stars.

There was also an article interviewing Scarlett Johansson (who is not a favorite of mine) about her voice-only role in the movie "Her" (also staring Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams (who I do love)).

It’s about a man who falls in love with his newly purchased OS that is meant to meet his every need. Essentially he falls in love with a voice.

The concept of the movie was so interesting to me that I immediately searched for the trailer. I liked it very much. In fact, my eyes welled up. Then again, I cry much too easily and just about anything touching releases the flood gates (I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good or bad thing) so maybe I’m not an accurate barometer of such tender topics like love stories.



But it got me thinking. Could I, or anyone, actually fall in love with someone purely by their voice? Over the phone. Just by their words. Never seeing them in person.

Looking at it another way, could I, or anyone, fall in love with someone purely through emails? Black letters on a white screen.

Can they be considered viable lovers?

There is certainly the possibly of being more vulnerable. In this technological state, we’re liberated from any kind of judgment that other people might place on our appearance.

It's not as scary to say things (we'd say things we might well not in person), display certain emotions, through a DSL hookup. A little scarier over a telephone wire as there’s the “real time” element to it. But it’s downright frightening more often than not in person.

Hmmm. Then there’s the visual and physical elements. They’re missing, obviously. Biologically, we are made to see and touch (I’ll leave smell and taste out of it for today). We are visually stimulated by other human beings, also by animals, art, etc. We are warm and soft to the fingertips and lips. We crave these things, don’t we? I do.

And if we knew what the "other" person looked like but the interaction was still only through technology, would that change how we felt about them? 

Well, I certainly don’t have any answers. I was just thinking out loud.

14 comments:

opinion8dhermit said...

I, too, like Amy Adams. I want her cute dresses from the Muppets movie.

Jack said...

You absolutely can fall in love based upon nothing but voice and or words. Not even a question. It is entirely possible and in some cases probable.

I once blogged a bit about it.

Gina said...

She's a very good actress. I fell in love with her in Enchanted but thought she was exceptional in The Fighter playing against her light and fluffy roles.

Gina said...

I agree. But can you really "know" someone that way? I mean, they can tell you anything they want. Be someone entirely different. I suppose the same is true for knowing someone in person. You have body language and eyes to help decipher in that case.

Which post(s)? Have I read them because I don't remember talking about this.

Gina said...

I suppose it's about trust then. Trusting them to be "real".

Jake said...

I am SO excited for "Her". What's interesting is that there is supposedly oscar buzz because of her "performance", which if she won would be the first win for someone who never appears on camera. I'm super intrigued.

Jamie Miles said...

I once read that a man's voice is one the most attractive things to a women. That just dealt with the tone of it -- rather than the emotion behind it. Looks like an interesting concept. I wonder if it would be easier to fall in love with someone who was there -- but couldn't really interfere with your everyday life. You could be more in love with the idea of them than actually having a 3D person to share your life with. ?? Good post Gina.

Samantha Brinn Merel said...

I am super excited for this movie, for obvious reasons. I love a good love story :)

Kir said...

it's funny that I read this today because I was away all weekend and so I was talking to my husband over the phone more than I do on a day to day basis (we work and commute together, so we don't talk on the phone very often)...I was loving his voice coming over my bluetooth ..I thought even when you make me really angry etc, I do love that voice of yours.

I have absolutely fallen for people over the internet, over the phone etc. Even if it was just a crush, an attraction, etc.

such a thoughtful piece. Hmmmm? :) XO

Gina said...

I am too! I read that about Oscar as well. Interesting concept and I am intensely intrigued!!!

Gina said...

I believe it. I love deep voices. It's just, well, manly!

That, I think, is the problem. Even if someone isn't there physically, they still have the ability to interfere emotionally and would be distracting from where your affections truly lie. And the idea of someone is always better in our heads than in real life sharing the same airspace. My airspace is very full and all I can handle without further complications. Better left alone.

Thanks for thinking about this with me, Jamie!

Something about the concept of this movie got me to thinking.

Gina said...

I know you do. So do I!!!! Not enough good ones, I mean really, really good ones, out there.

Gina said...

Sam,
Did you see the whole "Before" series? Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight. They are all fantastic and we see what their lives have become every nine years.

Gina said...

We never talk on the phone.We don't call each other just to chat, never did. I don't call him at work unless there is something earth shattering going on. He doesn't call me at home unless it's something important. But occasionally we've found ourselves chatting recently and it's kind of fun probably because it's different. I love voices.

I can see the ability to form an attraction. But then I think the reality wouldn't live up to my mind's total image/expectation of what/how I thought they'd be. It would be disappointing, I think.

No, hmmmmm! Just a thought. XO back!!!