Breaking Up In The Digital Age

by Ryan O'Connell

In 2012, the internet can screw you over in myriad ways, but nothing is more painful than getting over a breakup when your ex's new life without you is always just one click away. "Breaking Up In The Digital Age" explores themes of love and loss set to the backdrop of a Facebook page. It is not natural for people to know the exact moment their ex gets into a new relationship. It is not natural for someone to be able to see photos of their ex's new lover eating a taco on the beach. Our brains were not built to sustain this kind of information. Breaking up has always been hard to do — now, thanks to the internet, it's more difficult than ever.

ebook

First published November 21, 2012

About the author

Ryan O’Connell is a writer and professional feeler of emotions living in Los Angeles. He’s written for Thought Catalog, Vice, The New York Times, Medium, and other publications, as well as for MTV’s Awkward. I’m Special is his first book.

Reviews

[Sami Wax · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid reader of Thought Catalog, I was ecstatic to see that Ryan O'Connell put out a compendium on one of his most written topics: relationships and the internet. It was what I had expected and more. I'd love to see him write a full length novel one day and you can bet that I'll be one of the first to pick it up.

[Guillermo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I mean, I don't know what I was honestly expecting from this book. I knew it was a nonfiction, but I was hoping to be entertained. I wasn't.

[Shelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started as an interesting subject before this "book" (read - pamphlet) lost its direction. It just started to include general Internet stories that had nothing to do with relationships. There was profanity when there was no need for profanity. Was this book just blog stories put together? That is the impression I got from reading it.

I did get tips about not putting your romance on display on the Internet because you can't retract any of it if it doesn't work out. Also, about Internet stalking - don't do it. I guess I could give it another star for that but.... naaaah.