In the last few days I have read in various newspapers (some of it on line) that 'studies show' and people think and psychologists contemplate that we spend entirely too much time in front of our digital screens large and small. It seems we are addicted!
There was the story in the NYT about children who cannot get any time from their parents because those parents were always texting or face booking or in some way or another hooked to the immediacy of their personal screens. We saw photos of families in which each member was engaged in some sort of technological interface with their chosen plasticated hardware as the family ate breakfast or dinner, each family member encapsulated in his or her own digital world.
And then there is the story today in our local newspaper about the guy in a pornography trial who was so addicted to those photos on line he could think of nothing else. What a quinella-the addiction to the computer screen and quirky sex!
I worry about this stuff. Like many people, I consider the computer a major part of my life line to the world. I connect to friends, shop, maintain political connections, connect with Facebook and utube, look up stuff, play games sometimes. When the internet is down so am I.
I have made the decision not to text or tweet, though I am tempted. Having come to age in a different and non digital world, I don't have the first instinct to call or text someone about every little thing. I grew up with regular phones and public phones when I had to go that way. I am glad for personal cell phones and actually use it as my primary phone. But it makes me absolutely crazy when the satellite that powers my computer goes down!
My five year old grandson who was trying to get on line today says to me, "This is the slowest computer I have ever seen!" Hey,this is paradise and far from anywhere! But I sympathisize. I think our brains are becoming different.
I don't know where we are going! I do not believe that the friends of mine who have decided to eschew cell phones and/or email are on the right track. I do believe that the constant texting and phoning is mostly quite silly and inconsequential, not to say dangerous when we are in our cars or in the proximity of our kids.
Today I received an actual handwritten letter from a young friend. He thanked me for my gift of time and love, and it was lovely. We forget in this digital age that personal attention is best. We all want to spit on the signatures to find out if what we receive is not ersatz.
What do you think?
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