The Joy of Quiet

Has it really come to this?

In barely one generation we’ve moved from exulting in the time-saving devices that have so expanded our lives to trying to get away from them — often in order to make more time. The more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug. Like teenagers, we appear to have gone from knowing nothing about the world to knowing too much all but overnight.

Internet rescue camps in South Korea and China try to save kids addicted to the screen.

Writer friends of mine pay good money to get the Freedom software that enables them to disable (for up to eight hours) the very Internet connections that seemed so emancipating not long ago. Even Intel (of all companies) experimented in 2007 with conferring four uninterrupted hours of quiet time every Tuesday morning on 300 engineers and managers. (The average office worker today, researchers have found, enjoys no more than three minutes at a time at his or her desk without interruption.) During this period the workers were not allowed to use the phone or send e-mail, but simply had the chance to clear their heads and to hear themselves think. A majority of Intel’s trial group recommended that the policy be extended to others.

Interesting.

Interesting indeed. It seems that I am always tethered to my computer, and it does keep me from doing more productive things. And don't get me started on all the stupid texts and calls i get. Sometimes I just want to shut everything off: computer, television, mobile phone.

I have the same issue. Can I stand to be away from my computer for a week? Yes I can, but I always seem to be around it anyway. I can't however stay away from my phone for more then a few minutes at a time. It is pretty sad considering if Matt isn't texting me, I really don't have anyone trying to contact me.

I hear about this a lot since my feild involves using electronic media.

I watched a news clip about the camps for Korean & Chinese children to get them away from their computers/game systems. One kid would spend pretty much all day on his computer & refuse to leave it for dinner, to go outside, etc. His mom would try everything to lure him away to no avail. I find that very sad considering I spent all my free time outside as a child or playing board games, reading, coloring, etc. I am sure it's extremely hard for parents to raise a child in such an electronic society :|But it's also the parents that feel they need to get these sort of things for their child. This post also reminded me of a commercial I saw the other day about turning off the devices & taking your family to the forest to explore & become closer as a family.

I can admit to having an internet addiction that leads to me being sedentary, but at least I can say that I can get up and do some actual work if necessary.

I go three or four days without turning on my computer usually, and normally only watch movies or series on DVDs on my TV, so maybe an average of 2 hours a day if that. I'll forget to charge my cheap little cellular phone after the battery dies out for days as well, and I don't own an portable music because I don't like being unable to sense the world around me. I adore the gifts of our modern world, but I am no slave to them; a decent book, going to the gym, a CD playing in the background while I do my artwork are all entertainment enough for me during down or personal time. So many are so out of touch with reality because of the synthetics in their lives, they miss the world as it flies by them, and I don't want to be that way ever. Kids especially need to get out there and experience the world.

^^I only listen to my mp3 player when I am in the comfort of my home for the same reason.

Sometimes I'd like to live in a cave with just a good book and a vintage bottle of cava. No phone, no internet, no people - just me and my pup

I secretly love you, and your headphones.