So in that class, we were forbidden to use technology: no texting, laptops phone calls, nothin'. For my peers and I, it was difficult to stand the two hours without looking at our phones to check up on our social lives. This was especially difficult for me because I ALWAYS seem to be needing to text someone for something, and I always tried to push my luck by sneaking peeks at my phone.When Professor Bishop politely reminded me toward the end of the quarter that we were not allowed to text, she also mentioned something that she'd read about such a thing as texting addiction. In retrospect, this is totally plausible, and I see it in my own activity as well as that of my friends.
Along with texting, compulsive Facebooking is an issue. When on the computer, I can't go an hour without checking to see if I have new notifications or to check up on my friends.
What makes us so obsessed with our new media tools?! Why are we so addicted?!
It is because they give us a sense of importance. When we check our phones and our Facebooks and see that there is a missed call, text or message awaiting us, we feel needed and are given a sense of purpose. What we need to realize, however, is that this sense of importance is only relative in the tiny bubble that is our lives. There is indeed a bigger picture - our sphere of influence only reaches as far as our friends.
It is definitely humbling to ponder this idea. We get so wrapped up in our own lives that we fail to remember that we are only one part of a thing; we're only one piece of the pie. I hope this thought stays with you, dear readers, as you continue your day and that the next time you find yourself reaching for your phone or logging into Facebook you remember that if that message goes unread for another hour, the world will not end.
For an article discussing texting addiction, please visit:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=6043089
*this is where my blog turns into the inspirational wonder that it is :)
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