In the dystopian society of Gary Shteyngart’s Super Sad True Love Story, technology is the main interface through which people interact.  There is such limited face-to-face communication and interaction between the characters in this novel, because everyone is consumed by the encompassing world of the apparati.  People rely so heavily on their apparati and the online connection that when all of the connections were cut, several young people committed suicide, because they “needed to be ranked, to know [their] place in this world” (Shteyngart 270).  This reliance is not so farfetched from today’s society.  Nilles declares that technology, although it provides a miraculous way to stay in touch with friends long distance, is actually a hindrance in the way that it causes a disconnect from the world around us.  This “technological detachment” is providing a sense of isolation that is seen in Super Sad True Love Story (Nilles 1).  When Lenny and his two best friends, Noah and Vishnu, hang out they are focused mainly on their apparati, and teaching Lenny how to use the new functions while streaming the whole embarrassing moment live.  From page 88 to 91, the lack of real conversation between the three friends is astounding.  Their sole focus is on the ratings and how they are perceived by others through them.  This is paralleled to our society’s focus on social media and the quantity of friends rather than the quality.  As Nilles bluntly states, “technology seems to be subtly destroying the meaningfulness of interactions we have with others” and nothing can replace the face-to-face connection of body language, facial expressions, and the attention of another.

Nilles, Melissa.  “Technology is Destroying the Quality of Human Interaction.” The Bottom Line.  N.p., 24 Jan. 2012.  Web.  5 Oct. 2015.