Road of Estrangement: Limiting Technology for the Better
I’ve never been one for being attached to my cell phone. At least that’s what I use to think before actually being forced to assess my media usage. What I came to find was very surprising nonetheless. Watching Sherry Turkle and Louis C.K’s interview really made me reflect on how social media influences my life and how dangerous it can be socially for people. And what I came to find is that social media encompasses just about every thing that I do in my everyday life. It has altered the way in which I handle boredom, intolerance for interaction doing certain situations, and has enabled my ability to run away from discomfort and fear of the unknown. Phones are toxic as Louis C.K puts it. We need to learn how to be alone sometimes and technology has hindered that experience for most people.
With my day to day activities entailing always being on the go, it wouldn’t hurt sometimes to disassociate myself from my devices once in awhile, especially during my transitions to class and work. Maybe then I could gain the energy needed to have genuine and attentive conversations with people after my long day, instead of gravitating to my phone. Like Turkle stated, “there needs to be more importance on solitude,” because it’s needed.
Learning how to be alone could push us in so many ways imaginable. I could be that much more effective in communicating in the workforce, with significant other, and friends and family. But instead enjoying the moments and life experiences for what they are and not as a means for digitizing for the world to see all the time.
Although social media can be helpful and useful in some cases, it’s good to make one’s self aware of the hinderances and to discipline yourself to not let it over take your life.
