Technology is advancing at a fast rate in our modern world. We live in a world where computers are deemed "old" so quickly and phones are replaced months after they are bought (or traded in). We can download music for free and watch movies (and practically anything else) on YouTube at the will of our fingertips. We can text someone and view a reply within seconds.
Isn't it all amazing?
It truly is remarkable all of the things we have in our lives. The technology we have is incredible. We have gotten used to pulling out our microcomputer phones and surfing the web at any time of day. It's convenient and easy.
Not only have we taken this for granted, but this incredible thing hardly seems to amaze us anymore. It's become second nature to pull out our phones and do practically whatever we feel like doing.
With that in mind, I want you to ask yourself one question:
How much does this mean to me?
Every time I walk into a class on campus I see the majority of the students with their heads down and their fingers scrolling along the glass of their smartphones. When I drive I see people with one hand on the wheel, the other on their phones. When I go to a restaurant I see couples sitting there with their phones out, not talking to each other. When I visited Natural Bridge, I saw people sitting on logs, scrolling through their phones, and others hiking with their phones in the air, searching for service. When I go to a concert, I see people struggling to get videos and photos rather than fully immerse themselves in the whole experience.
We have devoted much time to our beloved smartphones. In fact, it's hard for me to remember what it was like before smartphones invaded our lives. I can't imagine not having the convenient access to Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. Sometimes I forget that you don't always need a GPS to get somewhere.
Smartphones have truly become the centers of many of our lives. One may say that it isn't a big deal. It's normal, one would say. Sure it's normal, because we've made it the norm. This argument has been said before, but it's still just as relevant. I'm not arguing for people to abandon their smartphones. They have a number of great uses, and they definitely make our lives easier. I'm thankful for them. They allow us to do a lot of things in a short amount of time. But just with anything else that is too good to be true, the smartphone does have it's side effects.
We've developed an addiction. I am included here. Many times I find myself scrolling through Facebook on my phone (or computer) for the umpteenth time that day. I just keep scrolling and scrolling until I slap myself out of the trance and ask, "How much time have I just wasted?" We feel the need to take pictures of every little thing. We interact through texting almost all the time. We check notifications for email, social media, text messaging, and other things constantly. We can't wait for those upcoming updates with those awesome looking features.
It's become a comfort thing. When a person walks into a room full of people who are all on their phones, he feels the need to pull out his own phone not only out of habit, but also out of a small internal need to fit in. It's human nature. Since the smartphone has become such a beacon of light for us, we have deemed it an object that we cannot leave home without and one we could never part with. It's like that toy you used to have as a kid that you could never leave behind, no matter where you went.
It's become a fear for many people to lose their freedom that they have with the smartphone. The loss of it or the loss of its functions could literally be detrimental for some. Think again about the question I proposed before. How much does the smartphone mean to you?
Take a step out of all of the media flow and into the real world. Look around you and enjoy what's there. Enjoy the here and now of the real world, not the cyber one. And lay off the texting. Browse your internet just a bit less. Get rid of a social media account or two. Limit your Facebook and Instagram scrolling. When you walk into a room full of people on their phones, start a conversation with someone. Read a (real and physical) book instead of the small tidbits of writing you find on Twitter. Watch a movie with friends instead of seconds-long Vines. Put your phones on silent when you are on a date with your significant other.
These are small things you can do to lessen your time on the small screen. Sadly, it can be difficult; and it's much easier said than done, but give it a try.
Conquer the smartphone; don't let it conquer you.
