Today while I was eating lunch, I took a moment to glance around the restaurant and I noticed something that felt kind of concerning. Out of the few people that were sitting scattered across the room, all of us were eating and staring at our cell phones. A guy in the far corner must have been watching a video clip of something hilarious that caused the rest of us to wonder what he was cackling about. Another guy sat with his head pointed strait down at the table probably reading the news headlines or an email. Another person sat near the drink machine messing with his phone and was completely oblivious to the girl at the counter letting him know his order was ready.
Seeing this sight caused me to glance back at my table where I sat with my sandwich in my right hand and my phone in my left hand where I had a work email up on the screen. And then I realize that I had been subconsciously assimilated into the group of introverted bubble people. And for the first time, I simply turned off my phone's screen and laid it down on the table. And I actually enjoyed a lunch without the need or the urge to Facebook or Tweet about my day or my meal. For once, I did what people used to do at lunchtime. I just sat there and ate my meal. No cares with what digital happenings were going on with the silicone confines of my Samsung Galaxy S2 taking it's slumber on the table.
And it felt great.
So this started the thought train while I enjoyed my Cheeseburger and fries. We have all seen those talk shows where they bring in an expert who in turn picks out a handful of strangers and takes them to lunch. During the course of lunch they hire several people to walk through the room where specific clothes or colors. After the meal they sit the people down and ask them specific questions about the people who were in the room while they ate. And they basically take a poll as to what people actually paid attention to when out and about in the everyday world. In a very real world possibility, what if someone was attacked or robbed during my lunch hour in the place I ate. Would I be able to help the authorities with a description of either the victim or the bad guy?
And I realized that I wouldn't have a clue. And that the half a dozen other people in the room would be just as clueless as I was. Not to say that we have to walk around suspicious of everybody. But my point is that we should be aware of our surroundings. And yet, with my nose stuck in the screen of my phone, I am not very aware.
The second thought than ran through my head was that I was loosing time. Precious time that I could never regain. Seconds which turn into minutes of phone usage at a time. Sure, I may be learning something from a news article to finishing up that last work email as my sandwich is being made. But those seconds fall into the bottom bucket of lost time that we will never regain. And I know I would be amazed at just how much time I use everyday working/playing on my phone.
And the last thought that ran through my head was about how much my technology has turned me into an introvert. By nature, I am an outgoing person who likes to interact with people. But I am increasingly finding myself drawn into Twitter and Facebook. And before you jump to conclusions and say how these are "social" networks, let me explain myself. When I use both Twitter and Facebook, I find myself browsing other people's posts more than what I spend in time making my own posts. Therefore, I'm just being nosey and not really interacting with anybody. As interacting is defined as "Act in such a way as to have an effect on another; act reciprocally" (from the Meriam-Webster Dictionary). And just by looking around, I am not directly effecting anybody of anything to encourage someone to reciprocate and cause an "interaction".
So before I wrap up this post on my rambling musings, let me ask: "Is our technology turning us into introverts? I completely understand that there are introverted people by nature. And have absolutely nothing against these folks. But in general, how is the technology we deal with on a daily basis affecting our socialization with others in our society?
In other words, put the phone down at lunch. You'll be amazed at how liberated you feel. And on that note, it is almost time for me to unplug for a week and go on vacation in the Western Carribean! See you when I get back!
¡Via Con Dios!
Seeing this sight caused me to glance back at my table where I sat with my sandwich in my right hand and my phone in my left hand where I had a work email up on the screen. And then I realize that I had been subconsciously assimilated into the group of introverted bubble people. And for the first time, I simply turned off my phone's screen and laid it down on the table. And I actually enjoyed a lunch without the need or the urge to Facebook or Tweet about my day or my meal. For once, I did what people used to do at lunchtime. I just sat there and ate my meal. No cares with what digital happenings were going on with the silicone confines of my Samsung Galaxy S2 taking it's slumber on the table.
And it felt great.
So this started the thought train while I enjoyed my Cheeseburger and fries. We have all seen those talk shows where they bring in an expert who in turn picks out a handful of strangers and takes them to lunch. During the course of lunch they hire several people to walk through the room where specific clothes or colors. After the meal they sit the people down and ask them specific questions about the people who were in the room while they ate. And they basically take a poll as to what people actually paid attention to when out and about in the everyday world. In a very real world possibility, what if someone was attacked or robbed during my lunch hour in the place I ate. Would I be able to help the authorities with a description of either the victim or the bad guy?
And I realized that I wouldn't have a clue. And that the half a dozen other people in the room would be just as clueless as I was. Not to say that we have to walk around suspicious of everybody. But my point is that we should be aware of our surroundings. And yet, with my nose stuck in the screen of my phone, I am not very aware.
The second thought than ran through my head was that I was loosing time. Precious time that I could never regain. Seconds which turn into minutes of phone usage at a time. Sure, I may be learning something from a news article to finishing up that last work email as my sandwich is being made. But those seconds fall into the bottom bucket of lost time that we will never regain. And I know I would be amazed at just how much time I use everyday working/playing on my phone.
And the last thought that ran through my head was about how much my technology has turned me into an introvert. By nature, I am an outgoing person who likes to interact with people. But I am increasingly finding myself drawn into Twitter and Facebook. And before you jump to conclusions and say how these are "social" networks, let me explain myself. When I use both Twitter and Facebook, I find myself browsing other people's posts more than what I spend in time making my own posts. Therefore, I'm just being nosey and not really interacting with anybody. As interacting is defined as "Act in such a way as to have an effect on another; act reciprocally" (from the Meriam-Webster Dictionary). And just by looking around, I am not directly effecting anybody of anything to encourage someone to reciprocate and cause an "interaction".
So before I wrap up this post on my rambling musings, let me ask: "Is our technology turning us into introverts? I completely understand that there are introverted people by nature. And have absolutely nothing against these folks. But in general, how is the technology we deal with on a daily basis affecting our socialization with others in our society?
In other words, put the phone down at lunch. You'll be amazed at how liberated you feel. And on that note, it is almost time for me to unplug for a week and go on vacation in the Western Carribean! See you when I get back!
¡Via Con Dios!
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