My buddy Brandon has a really good blog. I really enjoy his writing style and his recent insights on his own relationship with the social media and the internet has really had me thinking about my usage as well. You should go check it out: https://www.brandonsjournal.com/
One of this things he wrote about in his July 8th post that rally rings true is that he forgot the internet was a tool instead of viewing it as an entertainment device. I realize that we now live in a world where the majority of people spend more time looking down at their devices than they do pretty much anything else.
His Disconnected post from July 7th he talks about life back before cell phones and tablets existed. When I started as a 911 dispatcher back in 2001 I'd come in for my shift set up my work station, get logged in, take my book out and set it on the counter, crack open a diet pepsi and grab the KJ (local newspaper the Kennebec Journal) and literally read the whole thing from front the back in between handling calls and complaints.
Fast forward the my final full time year in dispatch 2019. Roll into the center, set up my work station, get logged in, crack open a diet pepsi, take you my tablet and start streaming WWE Network, take out my cellphone and see what had happened on twitter or facebook in the last 45 minutes since I last checked before coming into work.
A few years ago my wife and I stopped texting each other through-out the day talking about our day. We would text each other but it was things like, if you're going to Hannaford can you grab this or that, or if you come in town will you bring me a coffee. We would wait to actually talk to each other about our day, it's really nice.
Part of me would really like to go back to how it was, but another part of me thinks we may have changed to much and it would be too hard to go back to how it was. I guess I'd have to try to find out.
Until Next Time!
I LOVE the idea of not discussing your day until you get home! It's one of the things I'd love to implement in my relationship. I really don't have have much to say when I get home because it's all been said already. Sure, I might revisit it and add a little more context, but it doesn't feel special.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm on the same page with you in regards to going back. We have changed to much is it possible to go back and stick with it? Are we better off now or then? I have a feeling its going to depend on the person. Some people may be wired for this non-stop connection. I know alot of people whose entire self esteem is built around social media. I'm not sure what would happen if they just all suddenly gave that up. Would new addictions emerge or would it cause extreme emotional distress?
I think in my own search for a proper balance I'm just going to have to keep experimenting.