Wednesday, December 26, 2018

book chat - Do Not Disturb

#DoNotDisturb by Jedediah Bila, Published October 9th 2018 by Harper


In general, we are all way too attached to our devices these days. I really enjoyed Bila's book, chronicling how she was able to break her addiction to her phone and other devices and sharing how these devices are changing how we behave and how our brains work. After she discussed a couple of documentaries about a popular online roll playing game, Second Life, I watched one of them... Pretty sure I had a horrified look on my face the entire time. Soooo creepy. I fully enjoyed the introduction where Bila wrote a scene for Marty McFly visiting 2017. It really is crazy how we can be with others and still feel the need to constantly check social media and have other conversations. Instead of fearing what we may be missing out on, we should be enjoying what we're actually a part of. I haven't been on Facebook in a few years now because I didn't feel it was a particularly positive experience for me. The only real draw for me these days is Instagram. I'm careful though about how accounts I follow affect me and will unfollow if I feel they are affecting me in a negative way. 

"... it is you who decides how many hours of the day you are on your phone. It is you who decides if you value a real life over a virtual one. You are in charge of you." (p226)

Technology can add to our lives, but we must be aware of our attachment to it and be sure it's not replacing real life interactions. Are companies working hard to draw us into their tech and keep us there? Absolutely! But ultimately, it's our personal responsibility to set limits for ourselves and regain our real lives.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please be kind. =)