Imagine a world without technology. Is it possible? If you answered no, you might be addicted to it. I can, with certainty, say that I might be addicted. Netflix, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are just some of the frequent places I might be looking when I could be doing something much more important. From the minute I wake up to the second I go to sleep I look at my phone, and I know this is normal for a lot of people. One study says that the average person checks their phone every six minutes, which means 150 times a day. I can't help but wonder if there is a way of life more fulfilling that this and how to achieve it.
I love hearing stories about a world without technology. Handwritten letters, spending time with people without the distraction of a phone, and getting lost because reading an actual map is hard seem to be things of the past. Have we become so addicted to technology that we are slaves to it? I think the answer is yes. Tearing ourselves away fro our phones seems impossible and not having WiFi is almost like the end of the world. When we are bored we blindly scroll through Instagram or play Candy Crush. If our phones die, we are helpless and unable to function as human beings.
Despite being addicting, technology is an amazing development that has helped so many people. Curing diseases is possible because of the technology of the 21st century. We've sent men to the moon, global travel is possible, and with the click of a button you can send a message to someone. I am truly amazed at what we are capable of doing today because of these advances. Modern medicine saves the lives of many people every day. Without this technology, people would still die because of the common cold. These changes have changed the world for better but have also come at a high cost.
I see couples out on dates who are both on their phone and I feel sad for them. What could be more important that spending time with someone you love? I find myself watching Netflix instead of doing homework or even enjoying a beautiful day. Sometimes we miss out on what's right in front of us because we are distracted. I don't want to look back someday and not remember important events because I was too busy worrying about how many likes I had on Instagram.
What I propose is a technology detox. Delete social media (gasp!) and instead, go on a coffee date with an old friend. Call your mom on the phone to talk instead of sending a text. Write a letter and send it in the mail to someone that you love. Turn off Netflix and go outside. Let's get a group of people together to go hiking or bowling and have some good old-fashioned fun or sit down and read a book. It's not too late to change our world for the better.
