Stories about HOME and LOVE in the Digital Age

When Family Matters and Love Matters Become Numbers
In anticipation of Vietnam Family Day on June 28th, on the morning of June 23rd, 2025, with the permission of the Trade Union of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, the Trade Union of the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training organized a seminar entitled: “Stories of Home and Love in the Digital Age”. The program was attended by Ms. Vu Thi Thu Hang, M.Sc. – Standing Committee Member of the University's Trade Union, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang – President of the Institute's Trade Union, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen – Vice Director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training, along with numerous lecturers, students, and trainees of the University. The two speakers were Dr. Khuat Thu Hong – Director of the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS) and Dr. Nguyen Kieu Nga – Lecturer at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training. With their in-depth expertise in sociology, psychology, and communication, the two speakers created a warm, open, and insightful atmosphere, offering profound perspectives that captivated faculty, staff, trainees, and students. In her opening remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen – Deputy Director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training – emphasized the irreplaceable role of "family matters and love affairs" in everyone's life.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen also skillfully infused the "spirit of the digital age" into the story of modern love, where technology permeates every moment and every relationship – bringing both convenience and new challenges.

“Stories about family and love are timeless issues of humanity, appearing in poetry, literature, art – especially in journalism and media. And above all, they are the personal stories of each of us every day,” Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen shared.
Ms. Vu Thi Thu Hang, a member of the School's Trade Union Standing Committee, shared: "The stories shared, though small, carry significant meaning. In this era of technological development, family relationships seem to be somewhat looser. If we don't know how to connect and nurture them, the family will lose its inherent cohesion."

Love cannot be something that comes naturally…
From the perspective of a sociologist, Dr. Khuat Thu Hong provided insightful analyses of changes in emotional life and the structure of modern families. In the digital age, where people tend to turn to smart devices more than face-to-face dialogue, the values ​​of love, understanding, and sharing are gradually being eroded.
She cautioned that technology is not the cause of distance, but rather how we choose to use technology determines the quality of relationships. "Many people are unknowingly using technology as an excuse to forget the familiar things around them."

Dr. Khuat Thu Hong emphasized: “Each of us is a member of some kind of family: it could be a complete family, a fragmented family, or a family of the same gender – or orientation. But we all need to share, understand, and love.” “Love is instinct, but learning how to love – learning how to understand, listen, and be tolerant – is true strength.”
Love, according to her, doesn't naturally become strong. It needs to be nurtured and cultivated like any skill – especially in an age where genuine expressions of care are easily "missed" amidst a sea of ​​notifications, messages, and the hectic pace of digital life.
"Ignoring" – a haunting keyword.
Dr. Nguyen Kieu Nga – Lecturer at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training – brought to the session an academic perspective combined with psychological experience, accompanied by insightful data and quotations. In her speech, she noted: “Many times we are victims of neglect from our spouses, from a colleague… But perhaps we forget that we ourselves are also the cause of another form of neglect.”
According to her, modern humans are gradually "technologizing" indifference: we use technology as a convenient excuse to avoid emotional interactions. Short text messages, meals without conversation, or being glued to screens are all signs that familiar values ​​are being forgotten.

Dr. Nguyen Kieu Nga has initiated small acts of healing through the "Deeply Reflecting on the Moment" or "Pink Heart" activity, where each person gives a message of love to their loved ones.

 

The sharing session was a melting pot of emotions, from reflection to laughter, from empathy to tears. Speakers, guests, and students shared personal stories that, surprisingly, resonated deeply – stories about love, distance, companionship, and forgetting.

No grand pronouncements are needed; just a few moments of reflection are enough for each person to grasp what is truly important. From everyday stories to academic arguments, they all lead to one conclusion: technology does not diminish the values ​​of family and love, if people know how to use it as a bridge rather than a barrier.
In a world where every aspect of life is "digitalized," the issue isn't technology, but how each person chooses to live with it – indifferent or fully, distant or in harmony. And in that world, family and love still need to be preserved as fundamental values ​​– soft enough to stir emotions, strong enough to connect. Today's young generation holds both technology and emotion in their hands. Preserving family and love is preserving the foundation for a humane society.