n u m b

Lately I've been very aware in my observation of people that although we seem to be out there in the world, we seem to be very isolated. Isolated and distracted. I'm not sure why that is. We want human contact with people and yet we're so distracted by inanimate objects. To the point of being ridiculous.

Now hey, I'm the first to lock into new technology, I think it's very cool, and has served to advance us in a way that supports humankind in medicine, communication, even environmentally. And yet, in our day to day interactions it's proven to be a huge distraction.

I'll give you an example, and I'm sure you have many examples of your own to share. I'm at the gym, a place that fulfills a couple of my needs: it's social, as I've come to know a number of great people; and it's my exercise/meditative haven, a place where I can zone out and focus in on having a great workout. And yet, I can't tell you how many distractions there are with people to the left and right of me invading my space by bringing their gadgets into the gym. People doing a set of weights and then between reps picking up their cell phone to call someone; or their phone rings and they immediately feel they need to answer it - so they drop what they're doing to pick up (literally drop their weights).

Oh, and then there's the person who is on a piece of cardio equipment beside me with their Blackberry, iPod, and magazine - engaged in all 3 at once.

The funniest thing is when people are using one piece of equipment and then they place all their "equipment" - Blackberry, iPod, sometimes another cell phone on another machine, as if they were a person! holding up that piece of equipment so other's can't use it - way too funny (in a pathetically sad sort of way). No wonder people are getting heavier - they clearly are not exercising. I see the same people at the gym for the couple of hours that I'm there, and MAYBE they've done a total of 15 minutes of exercise because they are so distracted. Hey, no skin off my nose, I'm just an observer, albeit a critical one. Although, I'm usually a glass half full kinda person.

Anyways ... I'm on a roll here ... I've even had someone approach me to start a friendly conversation while they were anxiously thumbing away at their Blackberry. My response? I walk away. Man, that's just rude, and yet honestly, I don't think that person is even aware that what they were doing was remotely inappropriate or ill mannered. At least one of knows it is!

My point is, technology has it's place, the operative words here being "has it's place." No one is that important where they need to be in communication all the time. It must be some kind of insecurity thing? Have we gotten to the point where we just can't "be?" (I've mentioned this before in previous blogging). Why do we need so many distractions? We text, we talk on our cells while we're walking with others. We're even dining with people and checking our devices .... do we not realize how inconsiderate we're being? 

An exercise: Try leaving your device(s) at home for one day and really be in the world. Look around, really talk to people, focus on what you're doing at that very moment, whether it be working out, reading, eating, it doesn't matter. Forget the multi-tasking. Try it, just once and let me know how it was, and how it felt. Otherwise, we're moving to a society of the walking numb.

Sphere: Related Content