Tech Disconnect
Break Artificial Communication Ties
Picture this. A delightfully laid table... a high thread count white table cloth, cutlery wrapped in napkins held together by a silver band, and a seasonal florid arrangement in the centre. Friends sitting in comfortable leather backed chairs, surrounded by tiles, glass, and wooden aesthetics.
A lovely setting for dinner. An environment to spur conversation and tales and quips. And yet...
...everyone is fondling a gadget.
I might as well be sat here alone.
At least they raise their head for a sec to share something amusing and then right back to the little pleasure tube. Snapping pics and posting. Liking and commenting.
We were fed portions of happiness that occasionally manifested into an obsession.
As a matter of fact, the captivating pull from mobile technology is formulating a powerful bond between us. Is it healthy? I don't know. It certainly does not look to be.
Interestingly, it all started when we were young. We happily played with Disney Electronic Games, Pocket Locker, Tamagotchis, and Game Boys. We were fed portions of happiness that occasionally manifested into an obsession.
Parents removed the game which was met with screaming and shouting and crying. A clear sign some of us could not handle the drug induced satisfaction electronic games provided.
Eventually, we are living in a world where tech and gamification are at one with us.
However, we don't seem to have evolved with it. Instead, it seems quite the opposite. We have controllers of digital technology appearing to take advantage of your subconscious reactions.
...the impulsive feeling we try to ignore gets stronger the more we resist.
It's not surprising that on average millennials check their phone 157 times daily. That's 145 minutes every day.
Social media is designed to be addictive. That's why we spend so much time on it. Multiple attempts to feel relevant, approved and liked.
Although, on some level, either because we have been told or feel it, you know our relationship with social media is unhealthy. According to Digital Detox, 61% admit to being addicted to the Internet and their devices.
While I have to point out addiction has never been identified, nevertheless, the impulsive feeling we try to ignore gets stronger the more we resist. It almost forces you to look.
In one study, media cravings ranked ahead of cigarettes and alcohol cravings.[1] I'm sure it doesn't surprise you considering smokers are diminishing and while many people drink, they don't usually develop cravings. Unlike social media, where usage...
...stimulates your brain's happiness zones similar to sex and food.
So, it might not be a disease, but the potion released in your brain does have an extended effect. Therefore, it's no wonder many GPs have witnessed anxiety, depression and psychological disorders in people who live online.
Owing to our social media fixation, 50% of people now prefer to communicate digitally rather than in person. It's exactly what they want... you to fall into their simple model for attention so they can sell more expensive advertising.
Justin Rosenstein, ex-facebook & Like button co-creator, claims the social media business model, built for the needs of businesses rather than yours, are well established and too profitable for self-governing.
He believes social media are designed to be engaging and manipulative to maximise profits. Plus, he recognises social feedback produces a short addictive burst of happiness, causing us to frequently return and scroll.
In the end, our attention is limited. Ideally, we should invest our attention on things that provide true happiness, connections, and wealth.