In applying Maslow’s Needs theory, it could be said that people in Việt Nam have transformed from the physiological and safety needs stage and are heading up towards the social and belonging stage or even to the self-esteem needs stage. Or maybe Việt Nam is in the midst of a shift. Of course not the entire country has achieved the first two lower levels, but perhaps their own perception is that they have. That Vietnamese from the country and cities are able to bring any level of technology into their lives may show their desire to belong to something larger, taking part in Việt Nam’s development and investment in the future.
Yet, the fast-paced changes in Việt Nam have gradually altered the way people are relating to one another. The need for instant communication and instant connection through text messaging and chat sessions can be said to be filling a void, or creating one. In a culture that has always been personally relational, technology has become the mediator between friends, lovers, family members, business partners, acquaintances, and strangers.
Here in Ðà Lạt, I am privy to a whole new culture that has sprung up with the help of technology. Việt Nam’s emerging technological landscape and increasing investment in expanding Internet access and services have made it possible, and lucrative, for Internet cafés to open up at lightning speeds. Not only do these cafés give access to many who do not own their own computers, but many cater to “chatters.” “Chatting” (not to be confused with chat rooms) has become the phenomenon in Việt Nam. Rather than entering an unknown chat room amongst strangers, chatting is done with friends or those you have allowed or invited to be your “chat buddies,” establishing instant connections over the Internet from anywhere around the world.
I frequent two cafés near the University of Ðà Lạt on Bùi Thị Xuân Street: Sài Gòn 2000 and Internet Sài Gòn, both owned by the same enterprising young man. Within only one mile on Bùi Thị Xuân Street, there are about 10 Internet places that have popped up. The rapid growth has been visibly apparent even within the last nine months since I’ve been in town.
Ðà Lạt’s Internet cafés offer a nice selection in environment, services, and personality. The mom-and-pop cafes offer ADSL (Việt Nam’s DSL service provider) Internet connection, net-to-phone communication capabilities, USB digital picture uploading options, and a comfortable, quiet environment. Then you have the more modern, atmospheric cafés that give you all the mom-and-pop capabilities, but with more bells and whistles that include web-cams, printing services, faster connections, and ear-busting, heart-thumping music that ranges from Vietnamese pop favorites to techno club beats to classic 80’s and 90’s American soft rock that should only be reserved for karaoke. In Hồ Chí Minh City, they also offer a glass of cold water and a piece of candy. As a standard, all these cafés come equipped with chatting capabilities with the most popular being Yahoo! Messenger.
Near the university, most cafés are filled with students chatting with friends or acquaintances overseas, across the country, across town, or, sadly, across the street. Peak hours are in the evenings when the Internet places are overflowing with users. Students are mad chatters, using the web-cam religiously to enhance their experience. A couple of students may gather around one computer, giggling as they type and send their witty, flirtatious, or teasing one-liners over the chat space. I’ve seen more than my share of “anh yêu em” disclosures—not that I was looking. But how can you not? The computer terminals are side by side, with only the hard drive serving as a barrier in most cases, ensuring minimal privacy. On many occasions, I have felt the eyes of others blatantly staring, for what seems forever, at my screen while I compose my emails. Yet, they cannot read or understand a single word I’ve written. Their main concern is, what on Earth am I doing if I’m not chatting or playing a video game?
Students are not monogamous chatters, either. They average about four chats at one time, clouding their computer screens with multiple blinking boxes crying out for attention and a response. I remember one girl simultaneously had 10 active chat sessions and then was incredulous when her computer screen froze up.