Power Outage
Yesterday was an ironic day.At the beginning of the day I read a short article in the most recent issue of Time about our society's addiction to the internet and data... and how many of us are actually "addicts caught in an epidemic."
Of course this spoke to me as someone who has a hard time going any significant period of time without being able to check my email... read the most recent blog posts... or simply browse for the next big thing. I mean... even now I'm blogging !!!
You can read the article online here:
The Hyperconnected
Here are some quotes that jumped out at me:
"But we need a broader term like data addiction to take in the sheer hydra-headedness of the ceaseless craving for digital stimulation that contemporary technology is creating in us."
"But I can't help wondering if we're underestimating the countervailing effect: the cost we're paying in our disconnection from our immediate surroundings, in our dependence on a continuous flow of electronic attention to prop up our egos, and above all, in a rising inability to be alone with our own thoughts--with that priceless stream of analog data that comes not from without but from within."
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"But we need a broader term like data addiction to take in the sheer hydra-headedness of the ceaseless craving for digital stimulation that contemporary technology is creating in us."
"But I can't help wondering if we're underestimating the countervailing effect: the cost we're paying in our disconnection from our immediate surroundings, in our dependence on a continuous flow of electronic attention to prop up our egos, and above all, in a rising inability to be alone with our own thoughts--with that priceless stream of analog data that comes not from without but from within."
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The ironic part happened when the wind picked up here in Santa Barbara... quite a bit actually! Enough to kill the power in the middle of the evening... well before I would have been ready for bed. This left me in the darkness of my house... unconnected with only my own "analog data stream from within." Amazing how long it can take to actually even quiet your own head from everything that you've been feeding it throughout the day.
Eventually, I ended up playing my guitar, singing some worship songs, and praying. Great things that I most likely wouldn't have done had the power remained on. Hmmmmm... looks like I could use some more self induced "power outages"... maybe you could too?
posted by Brett Austin at 4/13/2007 12:47:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Without reading the entire article, at least for me, I think the communicating we do through our blogs is good and helps our family stay connected. Email and blogging is pretty much the only computer time I have. But as you know it takes 5 hours of my time to do a simple blog because I have so much trouble...so I guess I do need more self induced power outages afterall.
Right on Brett!
It's seriously SO true!
I'm down in the Dominican Rebublic right now and sitting outside...yet STILL on my computer! lol!
The best though was I just got back from the beach and they had no internet there and it was an awesome 3 days with no computer or emails! It's definitely a serious addiction! haha! :)
i LOVE it when the power goes out. candlelight and non-electronic things can be so refreshing
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