Too much information.
We can see it all around us ... and it is getting worse. People are consumed by their online connections more and more. The trend does not look good. People walking, waiting at a store, eating at a restaurant, driving ... all looking at their smartphones. Why is it that we cannot resist these constant feeds? Why are these devices so good at triggering the right hormones in our brain, at the right time, which turns us into addicts with no will to resist?
Once we are hooked, all we see is news about disasters from around the world, about politics at home, about impeding doom. To make matters worse, we see our friends in social media having a great time every minute of every day ... allegedly. Why are we so desperate to be plugged into all of this and forgetting about what we are doing?
Now imagine, just for a moment, a world where you do not really know what is going on in the world or with your friends for a whole week. No access to smart phones, TVs, or newspapers. What would you do with all the time you now have available?
Do you think your mind would suddenly calm down? Would you take the time to go sit on a bench at the park to watch people go by? Would you engage in longer conversations with the barista at your local coffee shop or with your neighbor or coworker? Would you call a friend to go hang out just to talk and shoot the breeze? Would you go see a play or a concert or go to a jazz club to just enjoy the music? ... and would you resist the urge to take pictures to let people you are not with know how much fun you are having?
Try it and see what you think ... just one week feed blackout. The Italians have a great term for the art of being with yourself ... and enjoying it - Il Dolce Far Niente.
We can see it all around us ... and it is getting worse. People are consumed by their online connections more and more. The trend does not look good. People walking, waiting at a store, eating at a restaurant, driving ... all looking at their smartphones. Why is it that we cannot resist these constant feeds? Why are these devices so good at triggering the right hormones in our brain, at the right time, which turns us into addicts with no will to resist?
Once we are hooked, all we see is news about disasters from around the world, about politics at home, about impeding doom. To make matters worse, we see our friends in social media having a great time every minute of every day ... allegedly. Why are we so desperate to be plugged into all of this and forgetting about what we are doing?
Now imagine, just for a moment, a world where you do not really know what is going on in the world or with your friends for a whole week. No access to smart phones, TVs, or newspapers. What would you do with all the time you now have available?
Do you think your mind would suddenly calm down? Would you take the time to go sit on a bench at the park to watch people go by? Would you engage in longer conversations with the barista at your local coffee shop or with your neighbor or coworker? Would you call a friend to go hang out just to talk and shoot the breeze? Would you go see a play or a concert or go to a jazz club to just enjoy the music? ... and would you resist the urge to take pictures to let people you are not with know how much fun you are having?
Try it and see what you think ... just one week feed blackout. The Italians have a great term for the art of being with yourself ... and enjoying it - Il Dolce Far Niente.
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