This humble blog of mine is an open letter to my friends (visitors are also welcome) wherein I will share my small adventures and my thoughts. The purpose is to entertain, amuse, encourage and edify fellow adventurers in this journey of life. Enjoy, and comments are always welcome.
jueves, diciembre 30, 2010
Media and Vegas, Baby!
Mr. M and I just got home from Las Vegas. While we were lingering over a sumptuous and relaxing breakfast, I was reading the newspaper. This paper had named 2010 The Year We Stopped Talking To Each Other. The article went on to relate the pros and cons of the ever-increasing number of hand-held, personal, mobile, palm-sized distractions in society. As I was reading, and giving my summary to Mr. M, he pointed out to me a young couple ignoring each other and yet completely immersed in their distracting mobile devises. Mr. M also pointed out my absolute disgust of technological distractions, while at the same time harboring a love for books. Although seen as more refined, and considered an acceptable distraction, are books (and newspapers) really more than that . . . distractions? I love everything about reading (I just started Why We Love The Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck), but is reading a newspaper really any different from reading a series of text messages when you're out to breakfast with a friend?
No, I don't think that reading a book or newspaper, in that setting, is any different than using some sort of mobile device. Both activities cause you to immerse yourself in another world and completely tune out the person or people with whom you're sitting. I say this as someone who has always had to fight a tendency to immerse myself in books (and now a computer or iPhone...I love reading!) when I should be focusing on a person. When I was younger, I loved to read just as much as I do today, and I would immerse myself in books almost constantly. I would bring books with me to friends' birthday parties - long books, like Gone With the Wind - so that I would have something to do in case I didn't feel like talking to someone. It didn't occur to me that I was being rude till my parents pointed it out and started forbidding me from bringing books with me to birthday parties and family gatherings. I was so content to sit and read, and it was a security for me, too. I didn't always feel comfortable trying to mingle with kids when I didn't always know all of them, so I would prefer to sit in a corner reading my book. My parents encouraged me to read, but they also encouraged me to be involved with people, and to leave the books behind when I was going to have an opportunity to spend time with others.
ResponderEliminarI guess that the only real difference between the books/newspapers and the mobile devices is the accessibility. And I think it's very important that we guard the time that we have with others and really work on cultivating those relationships, and not allow the devices to get in the way. Converse with a person and put away the smart phone!
Or maybe just get a Kindle.
ResponderEliminar"There's always a character, and you're it!"
ResponderEliminar