Disconnect

How did we arrive at this point?  What could possibly be so important?  We did without it for so many years.  Care to guess what it is? It is the so-called need to be technologically tethered, or more commonly known as the electronic leash.  

The University of Maryland conducted a study where they asked 200 students to disconnect for one day.  For 24 hours, they were required to shut down all media devices.  That meant no texting, emailing, Facebooking, or anything to do with being electronically tethered.  It was no surprise, but after less than 24 hrs., there were signs of withdrawal, anxiety, and cravings like those with alcohol or drug addiction.  

I think back about growing up with a landline at the house.  If someone called and I was home, I talked to them.  If not, I called them later.  Back then there was no sense of urgency to get that phone call.  Short of an emergency or job deadline, is there really a good reason to be technologically tethered?  

If you want to see how bad it has become, watch the people around you the next time you are out. You can be chatting it up, but if someone gets an alert of an incoming call or message, everyone one grabs their respective electronic leash and starts checking.  It’s like we are waiting for the opening to check the device. If I am in the middle of a conversation and someone, does it to me, I lose total interest in the conversation, stop talking, and in some cases, walk off.  I choose not to compete with a damn electronic leash.  

Again, how did we arrive at this point?  How we got here is immaterial.  The real question is where we go moving forward.  Challenge yourself to put down the device for a few hours.  You’ll be glad you did.