Technology

Let me tell you something about the world we live in: everywhere you turn is going to be full of technological gadgets. The newest product is just around the corner. It's almost impossible to stay up to date with your electronics and toys because of how quickly companies update and release new products. I mean, I'm over here with my IPhone 4s that I've barely had for a year and Apple is already releasing IPhone 6 in the near future and ios 8, which of course isn't compatible on my lame IPhone 4s.

But, I'm not here to rant about my incapable phone. It's difficult growing up in a world covered in technology. I watch everyone around me (including myself) become socially awkward and lacking in conversation skills. Admit it! You have this problem.

 We are in constant need of being interrupted and when we become bored what do we turn to? Oh, yes, of course, our phones and all the handy little apps loaded onto them. It's not like we could go out in the world and do something productive...psh, that's completely unreasonable. 

I mean, take me for instance. This past week I've been sick and laying around on the couch. What did I do all day to keep my brain from exploding with boredness (if that's a word)? I just looked at my phone constantly. How could I not? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Email all readily available for me to use, however long I want to. Not until I became fully aware of what I was doing did I realize I could have been reading a book, finishing the hand-sewing project I'd started months ago, or even, I don't know, say, catching up on my blog.

It's difficult, I admit, to limit myself on social media. It takes a lot of self control. I have tried multiple times to stay away from social media over vacations, but I always seem to crawl back to them and use the excuse that, "this is how I connect with so many of my friends." And I know for a fact that I am not the only one who uses this excuse! You do too. Come on people! All those "friends" you have on Facebook, yeah, when was the last time you actually talked to them in person? And what would you say to them if you actually did see them face to face? I think it would go something like this:

You: O. M. Gosh! I haven't seen you in ages!

"Friend": I know! I know!

You: How are you?

"Friend": Good. You?

You: Yup! All's good.

"Friend":........

You:.....

At least, that's what would happen if I saw half of my Facebook friends in person. Tell me honestly, how many of your 600 friends do you see on a monthly, even yearly, basis? For me that number would be in the teens, maaayyybe the twenties. 

I read this article for a class in college that was titled, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" It was all about how, because of social media, we are becoming incapable of having strong reading skills. All we want to do is skim. That's what we do in social media. Our "friends" make it so easy for us to. Short, and not even correctly grammatarized posts are fast and easy to skim. This article also aroused the issue that maybe this is just what the world is becoming. Aren't we just adapting with the times? Well, of course this is what the world is becoming, and, yes, we are adapting but it is still very recommended that we get off our butts and do something. I personally don't want to become that person that is so emotionally attached to their phones that this happens: 

when it breaks, or falls into the toilet. We're better than that.

Technology certainly has it's good points. Though, often we don't use it for that. We use it to numb our brains and look at pictures of cats.

So, I'm not telling you to go throw your phone at the wall and give your laptop away to goodwill. Do something productive. We are only given so much time, do something valuable with it. Or maybe just try to work on your people skills...and stop watching cat videos.