My issue today is with technology and how it is increasingly creeping in on "family time". It's said that all new technologies are invented before we have a need or use for them and then eventually they become integrated into our day to day lives so that we can't remember how we used to get by without them.
One of the units I completed first semester was on technology and the impacts that these new technologies are having on today's society. The main focus was on the Internet, mobile phones, video/computer games and social networking sites. I decided to do the unit because I was interested in what all these new technologies were doing to individuals and families. And the outlook wasn't good. People are becoming increasingly addicted to these new technologies and even experience withdrawal symptoms if they go without them for too long. Is this what we want for our children? For them to grow up addicted to technology?
Now don't get me wrong I'm not completely opposed to technology... I'm laying here in bed typing this on my laptop with my mobile phone plugged in on charge next to me. And I'm not suggesting we go without these new advances in technology. What I am suggesting is once again: Finding The Balance. Like with everything else in life, our interactions with technologies should be balanced alongside our other daily activities.
My partner and I went out for dinner on the weekend and it was the first time we'd been out for a meal together in months... maybe even a year. It was set to be an enjoyable night as I no longer had assignment deadlines looming over my head. And so as we sit down at the table I settle in for a lovely conversation and what does my partner do? You guessed it... pulls out his phone and starts playing with it. "Ahem" I say. "Give me a minute" is the reply I receive. As I look around I notice at every table at least one person is on their mobile phone, even if there is only two of them. How sad is it that people no longer know how to enjoy a quiet meal together without the interruptions of mobile phones?
I was discussing this above incident with my best friend over the phone today and she has many of the same concerns that I do surrounding these new technologies. She has been without a mobile phone for about a year now and I commend her on that. It just goes to prove it's not a necessity. I tried to go without my mobile phone once (mainly because I had to thanks to my iphone deciding it didn't want to work anymore) but I failed miserably without it. I had difficulties finding a landline to use in an emergency and when I did come across the odd payphone on campus I had no change to use it. So I went back to an old basic brick phone and I sure do notice the difference. I didn't realise how dependent I had become on my iphone for entertainment and to fill in times of waiting. For the first few weeks of using the new phone I kept grabbing it so surf the net, check my emails, check the news, go on Gumtree, etc. when I realised it wasn't an iphone and I could no longer do any of those things. I could call or text and that was it. Now I rarely have my phone on me unless I think I will need to make a call. And I'm not continuously engrossed by it because there is nothing I can really do with it. I feel so much happier for it too, it has actually freed up time in my day. My iphone came back from repair last week and I haven't even taken it out of its box yet. I think when I do it will be to photograph it so I can list it up for sale. I now know I don't need that much in a mobile phone - if it can make and receive calls and texts then I'm happy.
Well that's enough ranting about technology, my aim here is not to sound like a luddite. It is to encourage you all to think about how you use technology in your day to day lives and how your children use it? Are these technologies a help or a hindrance to your families? If you're feeling they are the latter then how might you go about decreasing your time spent with these technologies? I suggested to my partner tonight having a "no power night" once a week where everything goes off and we sit and do something together by candlelight. Perhaps have a conversation or play a boardgame. He agreed to the idea so I'm looking forward to restoring some of the balance back in our relationship. More quality time, less time spent glued to a screen (whatever size it might be).
Ok I'm off to hopefully squeeze in a bit of light reading before I go to sleep. I've borrowed out Little Women by Louisa May Alcott from the library and I'm excited to get started on it. I have not read it before but I know it's considered a classic. I have University to thank for broadening my ideas on what constitutes a good read. And mostly I am happy that while on winter break I can read for pleasure rather than because I have to.
Night all!
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