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Landor

- 8 months ago

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Is Technology Ruling You or are You Ruling It?

A SoulPancake Exclusive with Raissa Landor

We all enjoy the pleasures and convenience of technology. Technology prolongs our lives and gives us both comfort and fun. But what is the price that we are paying for it?

Henry David Thoreau asserts in Walden that “Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind…Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys which distract our attention from serious things. They are but the improved means to an unimportant end.”

What are those serious things from which inventions are distracting us?

Imagine an electronic blackout. Imagine that it goes on for a couple of days. How would you spend that time? No cell phone, no computer, no television, no movies.

How about: Quiet time with your family or friends sharing your thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams? A walk in nature, taking time to smell the flowers, listen to the birds, breathe? Perhaps you finally read the book you’ve been meaning to pick up for months (years?)? Maybe you go back to playing an instrument? Painting a picture? Spending the time alone in quiet meditation?

Is it possible that you would look back on that time not as a period of desperate privation, cut off from all the inventions that you have become accustomed to, but rather a quality time refocused on the people and experiences that actually matter in your life?

Thoreau says “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately and to confront only the essential facts of life and see if I could learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

In this highly competitive age in the fast lane, what would it mean to live deliberately and to confront only the essential facts of life? What are those essential facts? What would one learn by confronting them? How would they help us to live a better, fuller, truer life?

Tolstoy writes in “Family Happiness”: “Now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good…work which one hopes may be of some use, then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor—such is my idea of happiness.”

You might ask: but where’s the I-Phone? Where’s the continuous streaming from the computer with its demands from the wider world? Is happiness found in your addiction to these objects, or is Thoreau right that they actually hinder your search and distract you from a deeper, more fulfilling, and more meaningful happiness?

Are you ready to become unhooked from that electronic world or does it own you?

Team SP

Landor

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Technology gives you superpowers and efficiency, but at a definite cost. It streamlines your life such that you lose sight of the marvels and intricacies of nature. I believe, in the near future, that art will define life, and technology will revolve around art and creation. Thus technology will turn more and more beautiful. This being the case, there will be a merging of technology and nature and we literally will cause evolution to happen before our very own eyes. It will come before the turn of the century I bet.

I believe that we greatly over-estimate our ability to moderate or find balance. We are a people addicted. It's not a sign of weakness or moral failure; it's simply that our brains evolved to be very sensitive to stimuli and we live in a world of increasing sensory pollution. We have roughly the same brain (biologically) that we've had for 60,000 years, but look how different the world looks just in the last 1000, 100, 10 years.

So by God, I hope people can find the encouragement and power greater than themselves to break the addiction. It's better for the soul to look into the eyes of those friends at the table and not the glowing screens of our mobile devices.

"Are you ready to become unhooked from that electronic world or does it own you?"

Well, it doesn't have to be one or the other, now does it? As with all things, balance is key. It's hard to trash technology as whole--and the web in particular--when you consider the wealth of information and communication it has opened up. We now have resources at our fingertips that were previously only available to those who had the time and wherewithal to devote hours and hours to research. I communicate daily with a network of friends (and I mean people with whom I have an intellectual and emotional bond, not "friends" in the Facebook sense) that that reaches around the globe. That sort of cultural interface can only lead to greater understanding and acceptance as we move forward.

Do I need to point out that, absent technology, this conversation wouldn't be taking place?

It's easy to demonize technology and pine for less complicated times; I say that's a bunch of crap. Honestly, we don't know how Thoreau or Tolstoy would have employed and dealt with current technology. My guess is while they'd enjoy that simpler existence, they'd both have a shitload of Facebook friends and 4G ability so they could stay in touch in their remote locations.

Am I ready to become unhooked from "that electronic world." Well, I suppose. I'm certainly capable of it. I just can't imagine why I'd do that absent some compelling reason. Technology is the tool, not me. Get it?

Yet, having said all that, I did once make this observation--

https://www.facebook.com/notes/gomerkierkegaard/c-u-de-rapcha/176990759014709

I can't become unhooked unless I have to. Went camping, didn't have a charger for my phone and no point in bringing a phone.
Went to another country that didn't have service for my cell carrier and many hotels charged $20 a night for internet
I actually can go entire weekends without getting on my computer. During the week though, with school and everything, I'm always on it.

Nope. I've had the same phone for 6 years. I use the internet for networking as necessary. I'm a firm believer in living real life as it happens. Robots are cool and all, but I prefer biological beings :)

I was at a Coldplay concert in Cape Town, South Africa two nights ago.
Although it was AWESOME, it bothered me how many people constantly had their phone cameras out to take videos of the performances.
What values do those people put on memories? Are they at the show to enjoy music by one of the greatest bands on the planet or are they there to gather evidence that they saw Coldplay, "that Britosh band", live to show their friends?

It irritated me a bit, but the show was still freakin' great!

My iPhone never leaves my hand. Ever. If I'm not texting friends or family, I'm trying to get the rainbow dragon on DragonVale, attempting to nest up in Tiny Wings, checking Facebook, googling something, etc, etc, etc. I hate it. It feels like an addiction. If everything electronic of mine shut off for a few days, I would greatly enjoy it. I would probably spend most of the days playing my violin, reading, or baking. It would be lovely. But, so long as technology is still around, I know I'll remain hooked.

As of yesterday, Steve Job officially unhooked... or as neutrinos flying maybe his energy more hooked up the we can imagine!? A ghost in the BIG machine.
Thank you Mr Job! A piece of you rests on my home desk as a Mac and in my purse as an iPad and I will think of you often and fondly.

Last summer the power went out for days on end at my house after a large string of thunderstorms. In that time I read an entire book, and my mom and I dusted off some of the old board games in the basement. Over the summer I would strain my eyes sitting in front of the computer, so since I started this semester of college, I've been trying to train myself not to open up my laptop unless I need to for the purpose of homework or to communicate via e-mail. I stay connected for no more than an hour at a time. I'm also training myself not to keep my cell phone sitting out when I'm socializing or in class. I haven't exploded yet!

I like the Jo Rogan joke.. along these lines something like this....'Ok, you get dropped off in the middle of the woods with nothing around you.. How long til you can make a cell phone?'

I'll keep the blue pill. Disability has me in this comfy chair, so I may as well enjoy myself!

I don't think a total blackout will happen but if it did I could enjoy the silence for awhile. Eventually though I would miss the instant connectivity, instant access to movies and music and the ability to learn new things when I want to. I have a Internet friendship with a nice woman in Liverpool. I chat with her at work and at home and sometimes when I am somewhere else. I would miss the ability to interact with people who share the same interests not near to me. I would also miss little things like that she wasn't familiar with "Sit On My Face And Tell Me That You Love Me" by Monty Python. I was able to find it on YouTube and share it with her in less than a minute. Joy.

I dunno if I'd call myself addicted, but I do think that I put far too much importance and time into technology-related activities (browsing the web, mostly) and not enough into "unplugged" activities. That said, I love having near-infinite knowledge at my disposal at any time I choose, and without the internet I wouldn't have as many interests and hobbies and passions as I would now. Technology is incredible, but in my case, I need to unplug a bit more often.

to each their own and it's also about moderation and balance.

"Is happiness found in your ADDICTION to these objects, or is Thoreau right that they actually hinder your search and distract you from a deeper, more fulfilling, and more meaningful happiness?"

Happiness is never found in addiction, because addiction, by it's very nature is sad, compulsive enslavement. Can technology hinder the search for a deeper, more meaningful life? No. It's not the technology itself but HOW WE USE it that will hinder us. Technology has no innate passion, curiosity, ambition, or intention. It only does what we tell it too. We are the creators and dreamers of dreams. We are innovators. We humans. And like anything: gambling, drinking, buying, etc. the need to be continuously connected technologically can become compulsion.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater...technology when used properly and in a balanced way is a very good thing. When technology is used as an excuse to hide from the world, exit a relationship, or avoid the work of your life is like any other addiction.

I love not having technology. Unfortunately with my job I have to have it. However, for the last 2 summers I worked at a summer camp. You couldn't be more free of technology than living in the woods for 3 months. We wrote songs, made up tons of games, asked deep questions to each other, sailed, made fires without matches and never felt stressed regardless of watching kids 24 hrs a day. It was fun! It reeled me back into what I find happiness to be. Free and creative. Now that I'm home, with 3 real jobs, I always make time in my day to take a walk, hike, make something, play games with my fiance...if there was a worldwide blackout I wouldn't be worried at all. I love unhooking from the electronic world...but I also love Soulpancake so I'm in quite a pickle...lol. Good thing I got the book! ;)

It upsets me that I cant even sit in a lecture without seeing someones laptop with facebook on it. I try to read a book or just focus on my thoughts at home, and someone turns on the television. The T.V. stays on even though no one is around and I'm sitting in my room trying to read a book but still hear the loud commercial. I wish people would just enjoy simple pleasures and not rely on gaming or television, or updating every second of their dull life.

Thomas Wolf said that "We cannot go home again". So a return to cave-man days is out.Baha'u'llah said that God anticipated all the wonderful things that science has created so that we can learn more and communicate to the world (a universal language would be helpful.) our thoughts. But Baha'u'llah was the strongest man the world has ever seen (prison, torture, seeing His friends gutted, poisoned by His brother) and He said that everyone should be productive,For example, Alabama has a need for workers to harvest the crops(no more illegals) but those on welfare make more by doing nothing at all. What happened to all the trailor homes? Couldn't they be moved to the ag. sites?Are they all peckers hunting for a better orfice in Wash.,D.C.

It doesn't rule me, but I'm having issues with family members.
I have a sister that no longer calls or even sends a personal email out when stuff is going on with her or her kids... she puts the info on Facebook and I guess she thinks we are suppose to check in every day to know what's happening. For instance my niece (her daughter) had a surgical procedure and I found out 3 days later because she only posted the news the day of and I hadn't been on the computer over the week-end.
That is just WRONG.
...and yes we've told her it's annoying and she says sorry and gives excuses... but keeps doing it :(
On a positive I love texting for when I need to communicate but I'm not in the mood to actually talk.

SoulPancake

Landor

Is Technology Ruling You or are You Ruling It?

Are you ready to become unhooked from that electronic world or does it own you?

Pac

Isaiah61

GomerKierkegaard

kitten4lyfe

CassMoneyFresh

Nope. I've had the same phone for 6 years. I use the internet for networking as necessary. I'm a firm believer in living real life as it happens. Robots are cool and all, but I prefer biological beings :)

3Finker

mrsminor6th

MomNosBest

As of yesterday, Steve Job officially unhooked... or as neutrinos flying maybe his energy more hooked up the we can imagine!? A ghost in the BIG machine.
Thank you Mr Job! A piece of you rests on my home desk as a Mac and in my purse as an iPad and I will think of you often and fondly.

foolonthehill

babypinkbutt

I like the Jo Rogan joke.. along these lines something like this....'Ok, you get dropped off in the middle of the woods with nothing around you.. How long til you can make a cell phone?'

RosieFullyRiveted

I'll keep the blue pill. Disability has me in this comfy chair, so I may as well enjoy myself!

ScottGoode

Analord

aSunnyUnion

to each their own and it's also about moderation and balance.

Me2You

TheNuk

DomoKooN

Hali

MomNosBest

PieceofMind

No, I love my movies games and internet and I know these lessons already from having been blacked out.

I choose the circuit.

Is Technology Ruling You or are You Ruling It?

Are you ready to become unhooked from that electronic world or does it own you?

Nope. I've had the same phone for 6 years. I use the internet for networking as necessary. I'm a firm believer in living real life as it happens. Robots are cool and all, but I prefer biological beings :)

As of yesterday, Steve Job officially unhooked... or as neutrinos flying maybe his energy more hooked up the we can imagine!? A ghost in the BIG machine. Thank you Mr Job! A piece of you rests on my home desk as a Mac and in my purse as an iPad and I will think of you often and fondly.

I like the Jo Rogan joke.. along these lines something like this....'Ok, you get dropped off in the middle of the woods with nothing around you.. How long til you can make a cell phone?'

I'll keep the blue pill. Disability has me in this comfy chair, so I may as well enjoy myself!

to each their own and it's also about moderation and balance.

No, I love my movies games and internet and I know these lessons already from having been blacked out.I choose the circuit.

What's Next?

As of yesterday, Steve Job officially unhooked... or as neutrinos flying maybe his energy more hooked up the we can imagine!? A ghost in the BIG machine.
Thank you Mr Job! A piece of you rests on my home desk as a Mac and in my purse as an iPad and I will think of you often and fondly.

No, I love my movies games and internet and I know these lessons already from having been blacked out.

I choose the circuit.