Good morning, so remember last time I told you I was going to start doing things a bit out of the box and occasionally writing about random topics that were top of mind. Case in point, my a visit to Target made me cry (click here if you missed it) Well today is another one. Just something I have been thinking a lot about. Because I didn’t want this be a boring page of all black text, I am attaching some pretty fall pictures here and there just to pretty things up (but totally unrelated to what I am speak about)!
I saw this quote below and it really got me thinking-
I remember those days. And smile when I do. I didn’t know it then, but I was so lucky to have grown up in what I consider to be a much simpler, more innocent time. The world was surely not without problems but there is no question that social media and all the devices we have all (most of us) become addicted to are such a huge part of our every day existence. That certain things have fallen to the wayside. Case in point, one on one in person conversations, hand written thank you notes and even invitations, the way children learn and interact, just general day to day interactions seem to now be done mostly done through our devices.
I remember when we used to leave for a family vacation I would call my closest friends and a few family members and say goodbye, that we were leaving and that as that. They wouldn’t know what I was doing, where we were, where I was going out to dinner that night, nothing. When I got home, the first thing I would do is run to CVS so I could develop our vacation pictures and then I would get on a get this…landline phone and call them. There was no texting, or announcement of my return via social media. It was actually calling them and having a real live person to person conversation and recapping my trip. There was something so nice about totally unplugging then getting to reconnect again.
These days, no matter where you are in this world, you are a mere click away from being contacted by your circle of family and friends. Two of my sons did these unplug “detox” bootcamps, where you reconnect with nature, bond with other people (almost all their age, young professionals) eat together, go hiking, play sports, etc..but absolutely no devices. Many large companies/corporations are starting to sponsor these types of breaks. Phones, computers, laptops, its all checked in and they both said it was incredible and made them much more mindful about the big chunk of time spent aimlessly on their phones, etc… This is not to say they have made such a dramatic change that don’t use their devices but I do feel, as they do, that it made them much more aware, use the devices less and that they have learned to be more present and cognizant of their device usage.
Almost every time I go to a restaurant, even a “nice” restaurant, I see many people with their phones on the table (my personal pet peeve) sorry but to me, unless there is some emergency or you must be reached, your phone can be put away. Not having your phone within an inch of your grasp for an hour or two does not seem unreasonable.This is a more American thing as when I am in Europe I see much less of this. Then I am not even going to discuss the number of very young kids I see out and about totally absorbed in a game on either an iPad or phone, I see this more and more.
So a quick story. My phone fell and cracked last week. I will spare you the details but suffice to day I made several trips to the AT & T store, the repair store that they partner with and ultimately to the Apple Store several times over the course of 3 days. If I had documented this craziness, it could have gone viral on YouTube:) I did not have access to my broken phone for 3 days. The first day made me so anxious but you know, by the third day I kind of liked it:) I realized I was still standing, nothing crazy had happened, the world was still spinning and it wasn’t so bad being forced to be without my phone. I really enjoyed the temporary break from the constant ping of text messages from friends, family and my office. Everything eventually got done and was responded to, not necessarily as fast as I would normally respond but it was fine and all was worked out.
So all this to say that while I admit I love the access of having my cell phone, my iPad at night when I am laying in bed and my computer for work days, there is something to be said for those of us who knew the other side (the tech free side). I am not touching on what it’s doing to teenagers, that is an entirely new post on its own! Sadly our kids will not ever experience that and I grapple with who the luckier one, us or them. If I am to be honest, I think I am. We know social media no matter your age is a comparison trap, and we also all know comparison is the thief of joy. I often think about that effect it must have on a young preteen or teenager. And you can’t escape it, its 24/7.
I may not have had the instant access to well, just about everything but because of that, I had to work a little harder, used my critical thinking skills A LOT more, use my brain in stead of a device to look something up/educate myself on, had very adequate social skills and in general, made genuine efforts to get things done. Tech has even affected the way we parent. Many are giving iPads to even super young kids as a convenient tool to keep them occupied with the limitless assortment of games, music and even interactive activities for babies as young as newborns. I believe through the lens of a millennial, this is seen as mostly positive. But as someone in her “late 50’s” (cant’ say that much longer) I see it quite differently and now that I have a grandson, this entire story becomes much more personally relevant.
There has been a huge outcry from educators saying how kids start the school year burnt out, lacking social skills, and that their attention spans have been greatly stuttered. I think we are just starting to see the reverberations. I could go on and on but have expressed my feelings here. I feel fortunate and love the access our devices provide, make no mistake, but I do think often of the “cost” these will potentially have on the current Gen Alpha generation and beyond. There is no other way to say it other than the future of society and technology will involve an unhealthy dependence on technology. These are uncharted waters for the future and no one really knows how it will all play out. Getting off my soapbox and now curious as to your thoughts….
Well, Tina, you “said it” much better than I w/b able…but, 100%!! Ironic, I type this…on my “cell phone.” *sigh*
Gees, your photos are…marvelous!!!
franki
Tina,
What beautiful reflections that made my day!! I agree with your sentiments completely. I miss those times and that kind of personal connection. Thank you for sharing and making me feel nostalgic.
I agree with many of your thoughts,Tina! To my mind communication skills have taken a negative hit! Many of my old friends (known for many years) take to texting me to say”Hi”. My immediate response is really! I find it sad and insulting that they can’t pick up the phone and speak. I must admit I will rarely call to speak to them ,. We get together occasionally and speak in person. Dates made by text…really is everyone too busy or trying to be more progressive? Anyone can type a message.Your voice is yours. I say use it.
Hear, hear! I couldn’t agree with you more, Tina.
I disconnected from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter a few years ago. I was shocked to find more hours in my day. Hours of carefree time to pursue anything I desire. I don’t miss it at all.
I enjoy your posts immensely. I love decorating my home with the change of seasons, happy to arrange things my husband and I have collected over the years. They tell a story of our lives through time and we cherish those memories.
There will be no Swedish death cleaning in this house, lol!
I’m a lucky one too that I grew up before social media. I rode horses, learned to ski, played every sport with other kids on the block, and learned to sew and do needlework with my mom and auntie. We went on vacations across the country with four kids in a station wagon and played all the road trip games to pass the time. Those experiences are the memories that I treasure most especially since my mom and dad are both gone now. I love the ability to stay in touch with friends and watch the kids grow with social media but I think kids today are missing out on the freedom of experiencing life through natural interactions not watching it on a screen.
If any of us is constantly annoyed with texts all day, we have done it to ourselves. We each decide, 100% of the time, the place our phones have in our lives. When you go into a restaurant, leave your phone (hidden) in the car. Find other ways to connect with your friends besides showing them your latest pics.—–talk about your lives and your feelings. Do what you can do best in person—look at each other and have vulnerable conversations. Fun memes or drivel about whatever can be done anywhere with anybody—don’t succumb to just that with close friends!
I am sad/concerned when I go to the store and I see very young children sitting in the cart looking at a parent’s phone or ipad. They are not taking in the world around them, parents are not interacting with them and they are not learning how to be able to handle boredom. This creates a need to be constantly entertained. Self regulation is important. The ability to handle boredom is “linked to the ability to focus and self regulate”
I agree with your observations completely. I feel sad for my adult son in his mid 20’s. He has moved to a new city and has had trouble making friends in person. I think it is because he never learned those social skills, how to read people’s faces, the give and take of maintaining a social conversation. He isn’t comfortable riding as a passenger in a car for over an hour looking out the window, thinking random thoughts, without his head in his phone. He is lost without his electronics and that makes me sad.
Tina, you expressed eloquently how I feel about the intrusion and impact technology has made in our lives. There is a time and place for it, but not 24/7 at the expense of social interaction and family dynamics. Parents must understand the serious consequences of using screens to entertain their children. I have seen little ones in strollers on walks outside watching a phone instead of looking at nature. It truly is sad to see the lack of attention in restaurants between family members since they are all on their cellphones even while eating. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic!
so agree with your comments about people missing out on actual personal interaction. So much of that is lacking these days and I honestly feel that conversational skills have been lost to electronic communication. The ONLY time a mobile phone is allowed at our table, whether at home or a restaurant, is when my husband or sons are on-call. All are physicians and the day of the “beeper” is long gone.
Social media is such a time burner, taking time that we can never get back. It’s too bad we didn’t get instructions on its use and warned of its addiction. I live in a college town where you see droves of students walking down the street, all eyes glued to their phones, with very little interaction with each other. It’s really sad. Something else I see a lot that makes me even sadder is young mothers with babies/children that are ignored because she’s on the phone talking or reading. There will be a price paid for this no doubt. No doubt about my enjoyment of social media and having questions answered w/the click of a key, but I do try to be aware of the amount of time I spend on it. There’s so much more that life offers.
Love your post and agree with you on everything. I’m thankful my girls didn’t have cell phones until their senior year of HS. Facebook had just started when my oldest went to college. While I love having a cell phone and ipad, I’m so happy to have grown up without them. We do still have a landline. We have radiant barrier in our attic and our cells don’t always connect well in the house, so we keep the “home” phone. My grandsons get ipads at school (Kindergarten & 2 grade). At home they have kids Kindles. They are only allowed to use their Kindles when they go a on a trip in the car, etc, for movies. I love that my daughter limits their access.
Wish we could back to having a cell phone that wasn’t so smart, but just a phone.
You are correct in every respect regarding “social” media and how we have lost manners. I showed my husband since I often rant on these issues!
We are not alone and we are not “ old fogies” ( at least I know you are not).
Great post, Tina! I have been trying to clean out my “stuff” so that some day down the road my kids won’t have to! I found many letters from my husband, friends, my college roommate written over summer break, my ex-boyfriend, my dad, etc. They were newsy and ordinary, but so different from how we communicate today! I got quite emotional reading them!
I have never been on social media and never will be. I tye this from a laptop on my desk and look at it on a secod monitor on my desk. That’s enough for me. I do not do business on my phone or banking for that matter (that’s how all the black hats steal identity and bank account numbers?
I use my phone as a phone and with the exception of whatsapp for messaging… there are no other apps on it. The world at large is just not that important to me.
I despise what we have become as a society… addicted… yes addicted to the tech on the phones; Apple and Google did it on purpose … It’s known as Symbolic Systems.. a computer science ciriculum at Stanford… merginging the brain synapses with the computer languages. Everyone walks around with their heads down… programmed by their phones… And I agree with “when did it become so important to be on the phone all the time? In restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters etc.
Now AI is coming hard and fast and the robotic masses will continue.
And everyone caught up in FOMO perfection due to instagram.
I am in the process of building a new home and having a true home office. Which will have different landline number.s in both the kitchen and in the office. When I am in my office, that phone will be answered and it will not roll over to a portable device. I’ve reached my saturation point. I’m stepping off the tech merry-go-round!
The phones in your hands are weapons. You can be constantly surveiled by them and not always by “good guys”… You are being attacked by them unconsciously …and they are spying on you constantly in your homes… There is too much evil in this world and far too many unknown “bad guys” in our country at the moment.
Take a break… It will do you and your brain a lot of good.
PS: I developed a multi channel mobile media company in 2012 that was far ahead of it’s time on how the data could be used… and a big company bought the prototype to kill it.
I have often thought I’d like to take one day a week to be totally free of email, social media, etc. I’ve not done it, but your note has given me the push I need. And hopefully, I will eventually add more days to that. I can’t quite give up the phone as I have a son that lives across the country and I am a worrier by nature! I also worry about the younger generation who seem to get so bored if they don’t have their devices. They need to use their imaginations more.
Funny that you say that, I always say (and my family is sick of hearing me say it) I wish Sundays were a national “no device day” where no one could use their phones, iPads, computers, etc….just impinge having that one day to unplug! There would be no fear of missing out because everyone would be in the same boat. Think it could do our country some good to unplug for one day!
Welcome to worriers anonymous, that should be my middle name:)
Hi new grandma!
Two young grand girls here and a new one (gender unknown by moms choice!) on the way this winter and I have to say that I have the same thoughts and questions as you do
If MY generation is addicted and influenced (Yes, I am too!) then I can only imagine how these little girls and the baby, yet unborn are and will be influenced. The girls don’t play Barbie or dollhouse with the actual product anymore (in my day, a beautiful dollhouse sat in the corner of most little girls bedrooms and our moms were constantly reminding us to pick up the “Barbie stuff”.) Today you play Barbie online and decorate a dollhouse there too. Sad, I think. That tactile experience is now over.
I went to a design school and my interest began in my bedroom dollhouse. This was in the days of graph paper, wall elevations, T squares that all were carried to class…….NOT so now. Most all done by a computer program.
All this being said, I just got off my iPhone sending links to my daughter on all the newest strollers!
Also, I’m sure as a new grandmother you know the SNOO! Expensive and a must have for most new moms and PROBABLY worth it. I might have purchased one if available in my sleep deprived days (especially my number 3 baby!) However, all 3 did just fine in a beautiful wooden, family cradle by my bed. I rocked this baby item, not by an automatic setting switch or app on my iPhone, but by putting my foot out from under the covers and attaching a toe to the “Jenny Lind” spindles. There was no microphone embedded in the cradle waiting to pick up baby’s slightest whimper causing baby bed to start moving, rocking or bouncing. If the gently rocking cradle didn’t work then you sat WITH the baby in the “glider chair” in the nursery or the corner of the master bedroom! Mom and baby asleep TOGETHER in the glider.
Not really sure about all this………………………………………………… Will the “snoo baby” require instant attention and gratification as life moves on? Same with the doll play online. I saved my allowance and Christmas money for new dollhouse furnishings or a new outfit or item for Barbie or carefully put it on a “Christmas List” and waited. Now you just touch and drag on the screen…… Hmmmmm…
Agree with you 100%! Interesting how today’s young people are constantly “connected” via devices yet so many feel socially isolated and inadequate. I’m encouraged that schools are beginning to take action, however, it may be an uphill battle and a bit too late. So grateful my kids and most of my grandchildren were a little before all of this exploded. Staying positive and hopeful.
I explicitly said above I love my phone, iPad and computer and recognize their value and importance in my life. What I was speaking about here was more specifically the effect it will have on
future generations. I also was saying that I feel very fortunate to have grown up at a time where all this did not exist. I still feel that way. That is in no way to negate however, the fact that devices and social media obviously, plays a huge role in my business and marketing. That is not what this was about nor the point of this post however.
I couldn’t agree more! And it is sad that these younger generations have no social skills, they are loosing so much by not interacting with others on a personal level. But, I am in my 70’s so what do I know!!
Want your daily dose of Enchanted Home? Then join our email subscriber list and don't miss a single post of The Enchanted Home delivered right to your mailbox!
Good morning, so remember last time I told you I was going to start doing things a bit out of the box and occasionally writing about random topics that were top of mind. Case in point, my a visit to Target made me cry (click here if you missed it) Well today is another one. Just something I have been thinking a lot about. Because I didn’t want this be a boring page of all black text, I am attaching some pretty fall pictures here and there just to pretty things up (but totally unrelated to what I am speak about)!
I saw this quote below and it really got me thinking-
I remember those days. And smile when I do. I didn’t know it then, but I was so lucky to have grown up in what I consider to be a much simpler, more innocent time. The world was surely not without problems but there is no question that social media and all the devices we have all (most of us) become addicted to are such a huge part of our every day existence. That certain things have fallen to the wayside. Case in point, one on one in person conversations, hand written thank you notes and even invitations, the way children learn and interact, just general day to day interactions seem to now be done mostly done through our devices.
I remember when we used to leave for a family vacation I would call my closest friends and a few family members and say goodbye, that we were leaving and that as that. They wouldn’t know what I was doing, where we were, where I was going out to dinner that night, nothing. When I got home, the first thing I would do is run to CVS so I could develop our vacation pictures and then I would get on a get this…landline phone and call them. There was no texting, or announcement of my return via social media. It was actually calling them and having a real live person to person conversation and recapping my trip. There was something so nice about totally unplugging then getting to reconnect again.
These days, no matter where you are in this world, you are a mere click away from being contacted by your circle of family and friends. Two of my sons did these unplug “detox” bootcamps, where you reconnect with nature, bond with other people (almost all their age, young professionals) eat together, go hiking, play sports, etc..but absolutely no devices. Many large companies/corporations are starting to sponsor these types of breaks. Phones, computers, laptops, its all checked in and they both said it was incredible and made them much more mindful about the big chunk of time spent aimlessly on their phones, etc… This is not to say they have made such a dramatic change that don’t use their devices but I do feel, as they do, that it made them much more aware, use the devices less and that they have learned to be more present and cognizant of their device usage.
Almost every time I go to a restaurant, even a “nice” restaurant, I see many people with their phones on the table (my personal pet peeve) sorry but to me, unless there is some emergency or you must be reached, your phone can be put away. Not having your phone within an inch of your grasp for an hour or two does not seem unreasonable.This is a more American thing as when I am in Europe I see much less of this. Then I am not even going to discuss the number of very young kids I see out and about totally absorbed in a game on either an iPad or phone, I see this more and more.
So a quick story. My phone fell and cracked last week. I will spare you the details but suffice to day I made several trips to the AT & T store, the repair store that they partner with and ultimately to the Apple Store several times over the course of 3 days. If I had documented this craziness, it could have gone viral on YouTube:) I did not have access to my broken phone for 3 days. The first day made me so anxious but you know, by the third day I kind of liked it:) I realized I was still standing, nothing crazy had happened, the world was still spinning and it wasn’t so bad being forced to be without my phone. I really enjoyed the temporary break from the constant ping of text messages from friends, family and my office. Everything eventually got done and was responded to, not necessarily as fast as I would normally respond but it was fine and all was worked out.
So all this to say that while I admit I love the access of having my cell phone, my iPad at night when I am laying in bed and my computer for work days, there is something to be said for those of us who knew the other side (the tech free side). I am not touching on what it’s doing to teenagers, that is an entirely new post on its own! Sadly our kids will not ever experience that and I grapple with who the luckier one, us or them. If I am to be honest, I think I am. We know social media no matter your age is a comparison trap, and we also all know comparison is the thief of joy. I often think about that effect it must have on a young preteen or teenager. And you can’t escape it, its 24/7.
I may not have had the instant access to well, just about everything but because of that, I had to work a little harder, used my critical thinking skills A LOT more, use my brain in stead of a device to look something up/educate myself on, had very adequate social skills and in general, made genuine efforts to get things done. Tech has even affected the way we parent. Many are giving iPads to even super young kids as a convenient tool to keep them occupied with the limitless assortment of games, music and even interactive activities for babies as young as newborns. I believe through the lens of a millennial, this is seen as mostly positive. But as someone in her “late 50’s” (cant’ say that much longer) I see it quite differently and now that I have a grandson, this entire story becomes much more personally relevant.
There has been a huge outcry from educators saying how kids start the school year burnt out, lacking social skills, and that their attention spans have been greatly stuttered. I think we are just starting to see the reverberations. I could go on and on but have expressed my feelings here. I feel fortunate and love the access our devices provide, make no mistake, but I do think often of the “cost” these will potentially have on the current Gen Alpha generation and beyond. There is no other way to say it other than the future of society and technology will involve an unhealthy dependence on technology. These are uncharted waters for the future and no one really knows how it will all play out. Getting off my soapbox and now curious as to your thoughts….
______________________________________________________________
Thanks for stopping in. Curious as to what you think about all this, and boy it is a quickly changing landscape! Until next time….
LAST DAY TO TAKE AN EXTRA 20% OFF OUR 50% OFF CATEGORY!!
CLICK HERE
AND OUR WAREHOUSE SALE IS ON DAY 2! SO MANY STEALS AND DEALS
CLICK HERE
Well, Tina, you “said it” much better than I w/b able…but, 100%!! Ironic, I type this…on my “cell phone.” *sigh*
Gees, your photos are…marvelous!!!
franki
Tina,
What beautiful reflections that made my day!! I agree with your sentiments completely. I miss those times and that kind of personal connection. Thank you for sharing and making me feel nostalgic.
I agree with many of your thoughts,Tina! To my mind communication skills have taken a negative hit! Many of my old friends (known for many years) take to texting me to say”Hi”. My immediate response is really! I find it sad and insulting that they can’t pick up the phone and speak. I must admit I will rarely call to speak to them ,. We get together occasionally and speak in person. Dates made by text…really is everyone too busy or trying to be more progressive? Anyone can type a message.Your voice is yours. I say use it.
Hear, hear! I couldn’t agree with you more, Tina.
I disconnected from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter a few years ago. I was shocked to find more hours in my day. Hours of carefree time to pursue anything I desire. I don’t miss it at all.
I enjoy your posts immensely. I love decorating my home with the change of seasons, happy to arrange things my husband and I have collected over the years. They tell a story of our lives through time and we cherish those memories.
There will be no Swedish death cleaning in this house, lol!
Thank you for another inspirational post. ♥️
I’m a lucky one too that I grew up before social media. I rode horses, learned to ski, played every sport with other kids on the block, and learned to sew and do needlework with my mom and auntie. We went on vacations across the country with four kids in a station wagon and played all the road trip games to pass the time. Those experiences are the memories that I treasure most especially since my mom and dad are both gone now. I love the ability to stay in touch with friends and watch the kids grow with social media but I think kids today are missing out on the freedom of experiencing life through natural interactions not watching it on a screen.
You are so right!!!
If any of us is constantly annoyed with texts all day, we have done it to ourselves. We each decide, 100% of the time, the place our phones have in our lives. When you go into a restaurant, leave your phone (hidden) in the car. Find other ways to connect with your friends besides showing them your latest pics.—–talk about your lives and your feelings. Do what you can do best in person—look at each other and have vulnerable conversations. Fun memes or drivel about whatever can be done anywhere with anybody—don’t succumb to just that with close friends!
I am sad/concerned when I go to the store and I see very young children sitting in the cart looking at a parent’s phone or ipad. They are not taking in the world around them, parents are not interacting with them and they are not learning how to be able to handle boredom. This creates a need to be constantly entertained. Self regulation is important. The ability to handle boredom is “linked to the ability to focus and self regulate”
I agree with your observations completely. I feel sad for my adult son in his mid 20’s. He has moved to a new city and has had trouble making friends in person. I think it is because he never learned those social skills, how to read people’s faces, the give and take of maintaining a social conversation. He isn’t comfortable riding as a passenger in a car for over an hour looking out the window, thinking random thoughts, without his head in his phone. He is lost without his electronics and that makes me sad.
Tina, you expressed eloquently how I feel about the intrusion and impact technology has made in our lives. There is a time and place for it, but not 24/7 at the expense of social interaction and family dynamics. Parents must understand the serious consequences of using screens to entertain their children. I have seen little ones in strollers on walks outside watching a phone instead of looking at nature. It truly is sad to see the lack of attention in restaurants between family members since they are all on their cellphones even while eating. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic!
so agree with your comments about people missing out on actual personal interaction. So much of that is lacking these days and I honestly feel that conversational skills have been lost to electronic communication. The ONLY time a mobile phone is allowed at our table, whether at home or a restaurant, is when my husband or sons are on-call. All are physicians and the day of the “beeper” is long gone.
Social media is such a time burner, taking time that we can never get back. It’s too bad we didn’t get instructions on its use and warned of its addiction. I live in a college town where you see droves of students walking down the street, all eyes glued to their phones, with very little interaction with each other. It’s really sad. Something else I see a lot that makes me even sadder is young mothers with babies/children that are ignored because she’s on the phone talking or reading. There will be a price paid for this no doubt. No doubt about my enjoyment of social media and having questions answered w/the click of a key, but I do try to be aware of the amount of time I spend on it. There’s so much more that life offers.
Love your post and agree with you on everything. I’m thankful my girls didn’t have cell phones until their senior year of HS. Facebook had just started when my oldest went to college. While I love having a cell phone and ipad, I’m so happy to have grown up without them. We do still have a landline. We have radiant barrier in our attic and our cells don’t always connect well in the house, so we keep the “home” phone. My grandsons get ipads at school (Kindergarten & 2 grade). At home they have kids Kindles. They are only allowed to use their Kindles when they go a on a trip in the car, etc, for movies. I love that my daughter limits their access.
Wish we could back to having a cell phone that wasn’t so smart, but just a phone.
You are correct in every respect regarding “social” media and how we have lost manners. I showed my husband since I often rant on these issues!
We are not alone and we are not “ old fogies” ( at least I know you are not).
Great post, Tina! I have been trying to clean out my “stuff” so that some day down the road my kids won’t have to! I found many letters from my husband, friends, my college roommate written over summer break, my ex-boyfriend, my dad, etc. They were newsy and ordinary, but so different from how we communicate today! I got quite emotional reading them!
I suspect I am a dinosaur.
I have never been on social media and never will be. I tye this from a laptop on my desk and look at it on a secod monitor on my desk. That’s enough for me. I do not do business on my phone or banking for that matter (that’s how all the black hats steal identity and bank account numbers?
I use my phone as a phone and with the exception of whatsapp for messaging… there are no other apps on it. The world at large is just not that important to me.
I despise what we have become as a society… addicted… yes addicted to the tech on the phones; Apple and Google did it on purpose … It’s known as Symbolic Systems.. a computer science ciriculum at Stanford… merginging the brain synapses with the computer languages. Everyone walks around with their heads down… programmed by their phones… And I agree with “when did it become so important to be on the phone all the time? In restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters etc.
Now AI is coming hard and fast and the robotic masses will continue.
And everyone caught up in FOMO perfection due to instagram.
I am in the process of building a new home and having a true home office. Which will have different landline number.s in both the kitchen and in the office. When I am in my office, that phone will be answered and it will not roll over to a portable device. I’ve reached my saturation point. I’m stepping off the tech merry-go-round!
The phones in your hands are weapons. You can be constantly surveiled by them and not always by “good guys”… You are being attacked by them unconsciously …and they are spying on you constantly in your homes… There is too much evil in this world and far too many unknown “bad guys” in our country at the moment.
Take a break… It will do you and your brain a lot of good.
PS: I developed a multi channel mobile media company in 2012 that was far ahead of it’s time on how the data could be used… and a big company bought the prototype to kill it.
so I do have much knowledge of the topic.
I have often thought I’d like to take one day a week to be totally free of email, social media, etc. I’ve not done it, but your note has given me the push I need. And hopefully, I will eventually add more days to that. I can’t quite give up the phone as I have a son that lives across the country and I am a worrier by nature! I also worry about the younger generation who seem to get so bored if they don’t have their devices. They need to use their imaginations more.
Funny that you say that, I always say (and my family is sick of hearing me say it) I wish Sundays were a national “no device day” where no one could use their phones, iPads, computers, etc….just impinge having that one day to unplug! There would be no fear of missing out because everyone would be in the same boat. Think it could do our country some good to unplug for one day!
Welcome to worriers anonymous, that should be my middle name:)
Hi new grandma!
Two young grand girls here and a new one (gender unknown by moms choice!) on the way this winter and I have to say that I have the same thoughts and questions as you do
If MY generation is addicted and influenced (Yes, I am too!) then I can only imagine how these little girls and the baby, yet unborn are and will be influenced. The girls don’t play Barbie or dollhouse with the actual product anymore (in my day, a beautiful dollhouse sat in the corner of most little girls bedrooms and our moms were constantly reminding us to pick up the “Barbie stuff”.) Today you play Barbie online and decorate a dollhouse there too. Sad, I think. That tactile experience is now over.
I went to a design school and my interest began in my bedroom dollhouse. This was in the days of graph paper, wall elevations, T squares that all were carried to class…….NOT so now. Most all done by a computer program.
All this being said, I just got off my iPhone sending links to my daughter on all the newest strollers!
Also, I’m sure as a new grandmother you know the SNOO! Expensive and a must have for most new moms and PROBABLY worth it. I might have purchased one if available in my sleep deprived days (especially my number 3 baby!) However, all 3 did just fine in a beautiful wooden, family cradle by my bed. I rocked this baby item, not by an automatic setting switch or app on my iPhone, but by putting my foot out from under the covers and attaching a toe to the “Jenny Lind” spindles. There was no microphone embedded in the cradle waiting to pick up baby’s slightest whimper causing baby bed to start moving, rocking or bouncing. If the gently rocking cradle didn’t work then you sat WITH the baby in the “glider chair” in the nursery or the corner of the master bedroom! Mom and baby asleep TOGETHER in the glider.
Not really sure about all this………………………………………………… Will the “snoo baby” require instant attention and gratification as life moves on? Same with the doll play online. I saved my allowance and Christmas money for new dollhouse furnishings or a new outfit or item for Barbie or carefully put it on a “Christmas List” and waited. Now you just touch and drag on the screen…… Hmmmmm…
Agree with you 100%! Interesting how today’s young people are constantly “connected” via devices yet so many feel socially isolated and inadequate. I’m encouraged that schools are beginning to take action, however, it may be an uphill battle and a bit too late. So grateful my kids and most of my grandchildren were a little before all of this exploded. Staying positive and hopeful.
A lot of words about how terrible tech is but still found a way to “advertise products from your site” on your message.. LOL.
I explicitly said above I love my phone, iPad and computer and recognize their value and importance in my life. What I was speaking about here was more specifically the effect it will have on
future generations. I also was saying that I feel very fortunate to have grown up at a time where all this did not exist. I still feel that way. That is in no way to negate however, the fact that devices and social media obviously, plays a huge role in my business and marketing. That is not what this was about nor the point of this post however.
Don’t worry about being on your soap box-I couldn’t agree with you more
I couldn’t agree more! And it is sad that these younger generations have no social skills, they are loosing so much by not interacting with others on a personal level. But, I am in my 70’s so what do I know!!
Enjoyed your reflections and the pictures. Remember the Simon and Garfunkel song “The Sound of Silence”.
I agree 100% . My husband and I share your exact thoughts / feelings