Is Your Daily Life Enslaved by the Electronic World?
Posted on May 5, 2008 by thestateofblog
“This morning on a crowded bus I counted six people within my immediate view, texting, talking on the cell phone, checking e-mail, listening to iPods. In other words, they were trying to keep the bus from being their only space, their only reality. And what was I doing? I recorded what I observed in my laptop, of course.
TheStateOf . . . Electronics. I (J) have become one of those people I used to despise - texting, talking on the cell wire, listening to my iPod when I’m walking my dog, constantly on my laptop, etc. I still no when to “say when,” but I’m far more tethered to my electronics then I thought I’d ever be.
Filed under: Culture
Yes.
My job just gave me a blackberry and I am wondering what for. There is nothing to necessitate me being in instantaneous communication with my employer as the communcations director of a social advocacy organization.
It’s still on my desk and friends in other places would love to have it. Wish my job would give me one, they say.
Emphatically yes!
SDIC
Yes and no. When I’m working, I’m all about being plugged in. I even started bringing my mac to work. But when I’m off, I’m off. My colleagues are surprised when I tell them that my blackberry is programmed to automatically cut off every night a little after my bedtime. My weekend settings don’t notify me of work emails either. You have to use these things as tools. When not using them, put them back in the toolbox.
I only use my cell phone to talk/text. It has the radio and TV packages.. but I’m not that into it.
I don’t see much wrong with those who use theirs all day. Out side of any physical health and respect, do you…
I’m still nursing my thumb back to its normal position…
Rich’s approach is sensible.
Those who are glued to their cell phones, iPod’s, 24/7 are becoming increasingly isolated from the world around them. Instead of chatting with the person next to them, they are sitting on the phone. Instead of enjoying the sounds of a park, the iPod is running constantly. I’ve seen groups of people walking together and each one is on the phone. They are all alone in a group.
It is very unhealthy, antisocial and, overall damaging to society. Humans are communal animals after all and we are seeing the effects in our society of what happens when isolation from the community happens.
I’m attached to my cell phone but nothing else really. I probably check my email a bit too often during the weekdays but oh well. Things could definitely be worse.
Rich’s ideas make sense. I’m going to have to use some of those.
Dina makes good points too. I remember driving to Vegas with three friends and all three of them talked on their cells the entire way. I almost crawled out of my skin.
Maybe I’m weird, but I feel uncomfortable talking on my cell phone on the bus. If someone calls me while I’m on the bus, I tell them I’ll call them back. I just hate it when other people are talking on the phone on the bus and I can hear every nuance of their conversation. I’m Ok sitting next to these people, but I don’t want them listening in on my phone talk.
That’s not wierd. Another really, really annoying thing is when people stay on the phone when we’re in line at the grocery store. Geez. If it’s that important, go outside. If it’s not, call them back.
Well in my case my cell isn’t ringing off the hook so I don’t have to worry about being enslaved to that. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without the internets. I’d be lost!
Dina: Another really, really annoying thing is when people stay on the phone when we’re in line at the grocery store. Geez. If it’s that important, go outside. If it’s not, call them back.
If you think that is bad l had a cashier at the grocery store check me out while she was on the phone–it was a landline though.
I was so mad that l was thinking about about telling the manager but it was late and no one else was around.