Do we need a digital detox?


Published Dec 04, 2017 | Written by Jeremy Knight

“Shocking. You are utterly non-digital. I won't be running to find you when the Terminators take over.”

A pretty shocking result for someone of my age. 

After taking this quiz, I realised that, as a moderate user of technology, I don't depend on it quite as much as I thought.

But it seems there is a fine line between use and reliance. 

And it got me thinking about how seldom we actually just take time away from it.

A perpetually relevant topic, I considered its pertinence with regards to a recent gift from my colleague, Kirstine: The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down.

A profound collection of mindful, thought-provoking rhetoric, organised into this beautiful book, Buddhist Haemin Sunim advocates the mindfulness that comes with living in the present moment. 

But are the shackles of technology hindering our ability to just LIVE? 

It's like living a party through your camera, enjoying a meal through an Instagram filter, or taking an adventure through your Satnav. 

What if we just detached ourselves from technology for a while?

Wouldn't it be great to just travel and get lost? To find beautiful, hidden territories along the way, soak up the unfamiliar surroundings and ask locals for directions?

Or what about visiting a restaurant and immersing yourself in the entire experience: the sounds, the atmosphere, the smells. You start to interact and joke with the waiter, and without the worry of which filter enhances the succulence of your steak, you actually enjoy the succulence of your steak!

Fully embracing the present moment nourishes our hearts and minds, and leaves us with meaningful experiences and memories that truly fulfil our innate needs for human interaction. 

I don't consider myself hardcore Luddite. I’m a firm believer that technology is revolutionising the way we live, learn, communicate and evolve. 

But a dependence on anything is unhealthy. 

Try losing the devices for a day, an evening, or even just your lunch break. And see if you can break free from the shackles of digital dependency.

 

Shocking. You are utterly non-digital. I won't be running to find you when the Terminators take over.

do-we-need-a-digital-detox 

Published by Jeremy Knight December 4, 2017
Jeremy Knight