This won't be super-cohesive, but I've been thinking a lot about this lately...about how technology driven our culture is. How my generation is becoming more and more socially retarded because we rely on technology to communicate. Yes, I'm using technology to communicate my thoughts on this, but it's nothing I've felt a conviction about. If I do feel a conviction about having a blog, I'm going to stop.
I've started to cut back on the amount of technology and entertainment I engage in.
I'm fasting Facebook. I feel like Facebook is somewhat of a communication fail. Yes, it's a great way to stay in contact, but still. It's so impersonal. It's sad to me that I have to read people's statuses to find out what they're doing, what's new in life. And, if I want to communicate with someone, it's splayed out for the whole world to see on their wall. Yes, I could just message something super-important to someone, but still. I'd prefer talking to someone face to face or calling them in order to tell them something important- at least I could see their facial expressions, body language, and/or hear their voice to hear their tone and not assume things and create a bigger mess. I'd rather have someone want to talk to me because they want to talk to me- not because they read something online or because they are vying for someone to post back on their wall.
I'm learning to cut back on watching TV and movies. I've come to see that movies aren't just entertainment, but they are something created to stir emotions in us. It hit me- why am I becoming invested in the life of a character that's not real, who I will never have interaction with, and depending on the movie- some are just flat out unrealistic. Movies can stir up things that shouldn't be there in me, like lust, envy, anger, and I even consider sympathy to be bad in this case. Why should I feel sympathy or empathy for, as I said before, someone that's not real and who I will never have interaction with...especially when there's people I've known for years and I still hold them at arm's length because maybe I'm afraid of them. Or have preconceived notions and judgments towards them. Or their personality annoys me. So I hold back that sympathy/empathy...why should I? I think showing sympathy/empathy towards someone respects them. It says, "Yes, you are human, and your feelings are valid. You should be grieving this loss (from a death to relationships, they're all losses) or you should be feeling that way because what happened wasn't right." It validates that those feelings are legit.
Then TV- everything on is cop shows and reality TV. Cop shows to me just stir up fear and Lord knows I don't need to have something that can do that to me. Then reality TV- oh, we sit and watch as families allow camera crews into their house...and watch as that family eventually falls apart because of the fame or the strain of having no time together as family...without cameras, without producers, but together. Then, we also watch people tear down each other and just laugh at it or make no mind whatsoever about them. Just because they're on TV and getting paid, doesn't mean they don't have emotions as well. Most are oversexualized as well. Also, there's some things on TV we just laugh and laugh about, whether it be inappropriate or at the expense of others- and I question if we'd laugh at any of these situations in real life.
I've been putting the Blackberry away more and more and being intentional. I've been not sitting in front of my computer hours on end anymore. I only listen to music if I'm in the car or before I go to bed, instead of letting it be my life.
I just started the FB fast on Sunday. I've been slowly cutting back on entertainment the past few weeks. And it's so freeing. I've been able to spend more time educating myself, gaining knowledge, going out and doing things, communicating with people more efficiently, get focused on life and my goals and reach for them. And, I've becoming more and more less connected with temporary things. I can't take it with me, so why be so attached?
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