Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Thanksgiving in the times of divide. I hope you had a good dinner last night and did not fight with the proverbial uncle who has different political views. Thanksgiving is truly not about politics or business, but rather about family and friendship. I am talking about the true family and friends and not the ones you befriended on Facebook. For the last few years, our country and community have been divided and talking about a lot of things we disagree about. Not rarely do members of the same family stop talking to each other. Often, people lose long-term friends. More and more, Americans spend the Holidays alone. All of it is bad for our health physically and mentally. Yet very little is being done to change it. Why? What happened to us? Some recent articles about Al say that, once Al takes over our tasks, we as humans will stop using our brains to think. What I say is that we do not need Al to take over any more than has already been taken. The age of Internet promised a lot of hopes and rewards several decades ago. Since, rather than being used as a tool to improve our lives, very often it BECAME our lives. As a result, social media is truly anti-social, friends are not someone we can lean on, and Internet platforms are simply holding messages of hate, disgust, and aggression. It is all happening due to well written algorithms that are programmed by rich figures holding us all in check. Just a few days ago, it was announced that X/ Twitter shows the location of the accounts, practically assisting wrong doers in identifying people whom they disagree with and physically harassing them. Please, tell me how it helps you to socialize when you see others attacking neighbors, verbally or physically. We are not using our brains to sort these issues out. We are following our bad emotions encouraged by psychology of the crowd. And, in addition to the Internet, now we have it all on our phones. We do not even need a computer or personal wi-fi. 5G is everywhere. You can easily swear or yell at anybody on social media while riding a train. The only solution is to simply dump social media and focus on humans around us. This is impossible to ask everyone to do, of course. Some people are so addicted that they would harm others if their connection to this mess was broken. Can we at least establish a new holiday? No social medial day across the country, please. We can then meet each other at homes, parks, pubs, or elsewhere. We can pat each other's back. We can talk face to face. And this way, we can at least try to make our next Thanksgiving joyful and hopeful as a family or friends. Happy late Thanksgiving. Healthy and Happy Holidays. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Thanksgiving in the times of divide . I hope you had a good dinner last night and did not fight with the proverbial uncle who has different political views . Thanksgiving is truly not about politics or business , but rather about family and friendship . I am talking about the true family and friends and not the ones you befriended on Facebook . For the last few years , our country and community have been divided and talking about a lot of things we disagree about . Not rarely do members of the same family stop talking to each other . Often , people lose long - term friends . More and more , Americans spend the Holidays alone . All of it is bad for our health physically and mentally . Yet very little is being done to change it . Why ? What happened to us ? Some recent articles about Al say that , once Al takes over our tasks , we as humans will stop using our brains to think . What I say is that we do not need Al to take over any more than has already been taken . The age of Internet promised a lot of hopes and rewards several decades ago . Since , rather than being used as a tool to improve our lives , very often it BECAME our lives . As a result , social media is truly anti - social , friends are not someone we can lean on , and Internet platforms are simply holding messages of hate , disgust , and aggression . It is all happening due to well written algorithms that are programmed by rich figures holding us all in check . Just a few days ago , it was announced that X / Twitter shows the location of the accounts , practically assisting wrong doers in identifying people whom they disagree with and physically harassing them . Please , tell me how it helps you to socialize when you see others attacking neighbors , verbally or physically . We are not using our brains to sort these issues out . We are following our bad emotions encouraged by psychology of the crowd . And , in addition to the Internet , now we have it all on our phones . We do not even need a computer or personal wi - fi . 5G is everywhere . You can easily swear or yell at anybody on social media while riding a train . The only solution is to simply dump social media and focus on humans around us . This is impossible to ask everyone to do , of course . Some people are so addicted that they would harm others if their connection to this mess was broken . Can we at least establish a new holiday ? No social medial day across the country , please . We can then meet each other at homes , parks , pubs , or elsewhere . We can pat each other's back . We can talk face to face . And this way , we can at least try to make our next Thanksgiving joyful and hopeful as a family or friends . Happy late Thanksgiving . Healthy and Happy Holidays . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net