The Great Illusion of Connection

The Great Illusion of Connection

10 September 2025

We live in an era of smartphones and social media. Perhaps the most incredible illusion of our time is the promise of connection. In reality, these devices disconnect us more than they connect us. Picture a group of friends sitting on a couch, each glued to their own screen, barely speaking to one another. Or a mother with two children beside her, but her full attention devoted to the phone in her hand.

I often see parents placing a phone in the hands of their babies to keep them quiet and stop the whining. They are not fully aware of the consequences for the developing brain. What seems like an easy solution today may shape behavior, attention, and relationships for years to come.

Increasingly, people are recognizing that smartphones are not beneficial for children (and likely not for adults either). Leading the way, the Nordic countries have already banned the use of phones in schools. The Netherlands is following a similar path, increasingly restricting the use of smartphones in classrooms. Interestingly, children often welcome this change themselves. Many people say they feel liberated without the constant pull of their devices.

The question is: how long will it take for Curaçao to follow?

Miguel Goede