[...] Permanent connectivity isn’t my thing; I have always needed moments of quiet solitude for myself. There’s a Chinese poem from the Tang dynasty about someone describing a boat journey along the Yellow River and leaving his friend behind, a monk on a mountain, in the knowledge that they probably won’t see each other or have any contact for years. This man’s return, decades later, has an indescribable substance and depth. Compare this to standing in line at the airport, chatting on your cellphone to your loved one, who is waiting in the car park. [...]
[...]
As for "social networks", mine has forever been my kitchen table, where I cook for no more than four or five friends.
Werner Herzog, A Guide for the Perplexed, Conversations with Paul Cronin, p251 (Faber & Faber 2014)
