Better in Person EP 014 featuring Reese

By Chief Editor | Approved by Will Nichols, Editor in Chief | 8/27/2026

BETTER IN PERSON · EP 014 · Watch the episode on YouTube

Better in Person episode 14, Finally Offline's street interview series hosted by Savvy, features Reese, a Colorado State University student visiting New York. Asked whether he is better in person or online, he first asks how better is being defined, then answers that for him better means existing more wholly. He says he no longer texts people as much, because a long text exchange often leaves nothing to say when you meet the next day, and describes meeting someone on FaceTime for an hour who still treated their New York meeting as the real first meeting. He frames the wider issue as convenience versus connection, using online grocery ordering as the example: it saves an hour but removes picking up the tomatoes, the person beside you at the cucumbers, and reaching something down for someone shorter. He concludes that the absence of those micro interactions adds up and is why everybody feels anxious and tense.

Key Points

Reese defines better in person as being able to exist more wholly, after first questioning how better is being defined
He stopped texting people as much because a three hour text exchange can leave nothing to say when you meet in person the next day
After an hour on FaceTime with someone, both still treated meeting in New York as the real first meeting, because in person connection cannot be replicated
He frames the wider tension as convenience versus connection, using online grocery ordering as the example that saves time but removes the experience
His conclusion: the absence of small micro interactions adds up, and that is why everybody feels anxious and tense

"What is convenience versus connection?"

Reese is up at Colorado State University and in New York for a few days, and he came ready. Asked whether he is better in person or better online, he stops to interrogate the question first. "How are we defining better?" Savvy hands it back to him: however you want to define it. So he defines it.

"Better, for me, means how can I exist more wholly."

He has been writing a paper about this, which explains why the answer is a whole argument. Social media is a very communal space, and yet: "I don't text people as much anymore." The reason is something everyone has lived. "I could have a three hour long text exchange with you. Then I get in person with you the next day, and no conversation."

He met someone on FaceTime for an hour recently. Her line when they hung up: when I see you in New York, it will be great to meet you. Even after an hour, that was not the meeting. "There's something that can't be replicated."

Then he takes it to the grocery store, which is where the argument gets good. Yes, he can save an hour ordering online. But he loses the thing itself. "You don't get that same experience of being in person, feeling a vibe, picking up the tomatoes, seeing that you need to grab the next tomato." He loses the person next to him at the cucumbers, the excuse me, the reaching something down from the top shelf for someone shorter than him.

"Even that is lost through online."

And then the line the whole show has been circling for fourteen episodes:

"Those little micro interactions, or the absence of those, add up. And I think that's why everybody feels so anxious and kind of tense."

Let's get back to the basics.

🎤 Host: Savvy

Transcript

Reese: What is convenience versus connection?

Savvy: What's up guys, it's Savvy here with Finally Offline, and today we have Reese. Are we doing Reese? How's it going, man?

Reese: Chillin', man.

Savvy: In the city, the Big Apple. How you like it?

Reese: It's crazy. Super dense, but just having to interact with people. Even, man, over here.

Savvy: Yeah, it's beautiful. So, quick question for you. Are you better online or better in person, if you had to pick one?

Reese: I think also in person. How are we defining better?

Savvy: I think it really is however you want to define it, whichever one is calling you.

Reese: Better, I think, for me means how can I exist more wholly. I'm up at Colorado State University. I was writing a paper kind of talking about this. Social media is a very communal space. I don't text people as much anymore, because I mean, I could have a three hour long text chain exchange with you, right, and then I'm gonna get in person with you the next day and no conversation.

Savvy: Exactly.

Reese: I just met someone for like an hour on FaceTime, and she was like, okay, well when I see you in New York it's gonna be great to meet you. Even though we just talked for an hour online, that wasn't the meeting. There's something that you can't replicate. That in person connection can't be replicated.

Savvy: I'm about to go up to Times Square, so I'm about to feel that wholeheartedly.

Reese: I think when you talk about commerce, capitalism, and what is convenience versus connection, they always kind of clash with each other. I mean, yeah, I can save an hour going to the grocery store and just do the little mobile thing. That's true. But you don't get that same experience of being in person, feeling a vibe, picking up the tomatoes, seeing that you need to grab the next tomato. You don't get that. And even just happening to be like, oh, there's somebody next to me that's by the cucumber, excuse me, whatever. Or grabbing something from the top, using that height to help somebody who isn't as tall. Even that is lost through online.

Savvy: Yeah.

Reese: That's just kind of, I would even say that's everywhere. Those little micro interactions, or the absence of those, add up. And I think that's why everybody feels so anxious and kind of tense.

Savvy: Let's get back to the basics.

Reese: Thank you.

Savvy: Thank you, man. Thank you so much for your time. Perfect. Guys, this is Finally Offline. Thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Better in Person by Finally Offline?

Better in Person is Finally Offline's street interview series. Each episode is filmed in person with one guest and one question, hosted by Savvy, and every episode is collected at finallyoffline.com/watch.

Why did Reese stop texting people as much in Better in Person episode 14?

Because a three hour text exchange can leave you with nothing to say when you meet the same person in real life the next day. He says the in person connection cannot be replicated by talking online first.

What does Reese mean by convenience versus connection?

He argues the two always clash. Ordering groceries online saves an hour but removes the experience of being there: feeling a vibe, picking up the tomatoes, the person next to you at the cucumbers, reaching something down for someone shorter. He says the absence of those micro interactions adds up and is why people feel anxious.

Topics: reese, better in person, better-in-person, reese-bip