Unplug Yourself

Students from the University of Massachusetts published a conversation by the Student Affairs Online e-journal debating how being “plugged in” has changed campus life.  The conversation follows a point/ counter-point style that incorporates potential implications of social capitol as it diminishes among students.  Technology has caused a reduction of social interactions in memberships of labor unions civic groups,  and even parent-teacher associations.  In the reading, a student known as Meg stated, “We see an illusion of togetherness, not a reality of substantial interaction”(496).  I have to agree with this 100%.  We are so inclined to social networks and texting that it makes us feel as if we are known.  Having hundreds of friends online gives us the illusion that we belong to something.  We feel as if this is all the interaction that we need, thus causing us to shut of reality.  Not knowing that the love of your life might be right across from you only because you are too busy stuck in your own little world tweeting about last nights episode of The Walking Dead.  As the conversation goes on, Meg makes another interesting point, “Social capital, that powerful net of cooperative relationships, is being replaced by thinner, one directional strands which fail to hold a community together”(497).  This reminded me of a quote that Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”  Technology has been pushing people away from actual interactions and conversations and replacing them with hash tags and tweets about team single or team taken.  It truly makes no sense; there is no sense of unity now.  Society itself has been dumbing down with the increase of technology.  We are stuck in our social circle, and only escape with images found online instead of actually experiencing the actual image first hand.  The best memories are in our mind, not our phone.

Text Free Day

I decided to go on an entire day yesterday without texting.  Naturally, I begin texting when I wake up since my phone is the first thing to grab as it is my alarm clock as well.  This time I just turned off my alarm and let my phone be.  For the first hour or so I found it hard to keep away from my phone.  I had the urge to see who had text me and if anything needed to be done today.  I tried to come up with an excuse at times to look at my phone such as to play a game, check the weather, and even just look at todays date.  As time went on I found things to do to keep me busy, such as working on my homework or playing some music.  I even fixed up my room which is a rare thing for me.  I then realized I didn't need my phone as much, as it wasn't the first time I had kept it off for a day. Just to make matters more interesting I also stayed off Facebook.  This is something I check daily, not because I feel the need to post something about myself but because I love looking at funny pictures that people post.  I enjoy a good laugh of course.  There was really no need for me to be checking on the status of my peers.  I was happy with the time that I had "off the grid," because I love being in my own little world.