Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are some of many familiar social media platforms that are integrated in our common lifestyle. The power of technology and social media has connected us in many ways that we could have never seen coming. We can share videos with the click of a button, send photographs in less than a second, and Facetime loved ones who are thousands of miles away. What used to take days to circulate around the world now takes hours, even minutes. There are so many positive outcomes due to advancement of technology and social platforms. Lives can be enhanced, loved ones are never out of touch, and short moments in time can be embedded into our minds forever.
Think back to a time where you went out with a group of friends, whether it was for dinner, a night out, or just casually hanging and chatting. Were there more than a couple minutes in-between someone checking their phone? The answer in most cases is no. We are a society that is overly obsessed with the buzz of our phone, constantly checking to see what is happening, and feeling wanted and accepted just by the appearance of a text message. Do we notice the conversations around us or the facial expressions our friends make when we tell a funny story? Do we actually experience the moments "in the moment", or are we just watching through the screens of our phones? The topic is heavily debated. I notice when at a concert that many don't actually watch the concert, but record and "experience" it through their phone. When a life changing event happens, no one is actually present to watch, but they are present to record it, tweet about it, or take a Snap. "Pics or it didn't happen" and "Don't put that on your Snapchat story!" are common phrases I hear way too often. Are we disconnected from what makes us human? The bonds and relationships that we need to be happy and successful seem to be integrated in the hard drives of our phones, laptops or tablets.
Humans are creatures of habit. We do what makes us comfortable and conform to the people around us. I've noticed when one person takes their phone out, everyone follows in suit. Have you ever felt awkward if you didn't have your phone or if it had a dead battery? I know I have, and it is a situation that we try and avoid. I can't remember the last time I was in a room with friends and someone didn't ask if there was a phone charger. Phones are always by our sides, whether it be in a pocket or on a desk, because we have "FOMO", or the "Fear of Missing Out". They are like our children. We baby our phones, treat them with respect, always check up on them, and make sure they have the latest and greatest "things". Companies are in competition to win us over with new cameras, better storage, and most importantly, new emojis. Our consumerist society finds new ways to dangle the string in front of our face because it knows that we will reach for it.
When I step back and think about it, we have become less and less apparent to what's around us. It's a constant battle for attention now. Simple tasks such as trying to hold a conversation or walking down the sidewalk has never been harder. It's even come to the extreme of not even being able to drive without the distraction of our phone. Our attention span has slowly diminished. Interests and hobbies vary from day to day based on our Twitter feed. Frankly, I'm not comfortable living like this, and you shouldn't be either. Challenge yourself to make your friends laugh without that funny video, or walk and have a conversation with the person next to you instead of scrolling through Instagram. Don't conform so you aren't the only one looking down at your phone during lunch, or even leave your phone at home for once when you go out and do what you like to do. Look up and start a trend, because the world might actually start watching again.
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