Technology is so much fun, but we can drown in our technology. The fog of information can drive out knowledge.
-Daniel J Boorstin
When I was younger I was an avid reader. I could read about 120 pages an hour, easy (depending on the material of course). I loved it. I was incredibly blessed to have an overwhelming abundance of incredible literature at my fingertips, an outstanding educational upbringing, as well as an amazing set of parents who gave me opportunities on end to become exposed to great works, of all kinds. I could get entirely lost in the pages of Austen, Tolkien, Rowling, Porter, Dickens, Hugo, and so many others. When I would put whatever I was currently devouring down I would have to regain a sense of reality because I had been to engrossed in the life of Daniel Deronda or Eponine that it was almost a mini culture shock to come back. I loved reading about the lives of others. I felt genuine connections with them, almost like I was in their presence through out the story. I felt their emotions as if they were my own. I felt the rush and butterflies that Elizabeth got when she saw Mr. Darcy in the meadow that early morning. I endured the heat of scorn on Hester's cheeks, as she was publicly humiliated for her mistakes. I was burdened with the sorrow, panic, paranoia, and despair of Raskolnikov as a consequence of his gruesome deeds. I lived vicariously through these classics. I learned essential lessons of faith, humility, the true meaning of love and sacrifice, loyalty, and a great deal more than I could ever adequately put into words. I could read and read. Never stopping. Never wanting to. There was many a night when one of my parents would be doing the usual 2 am child-check would find me wide eyed and excited with my nose buried in a book, instead of sleeping. There were many nights where my precious books were used as a threat against me. If I didn't go to sleep they would take them away. That horrific trick would usually encourage me to reluctantly close my preferred reality, turn out my lamp, close my eyes, and pull the covers up--at least until mom or dad were upstairs again. Then I would eagerly pop right back up and continue where I left off. I could never get enough. I flew through book after book, story after story. My passion could never be quenched. I adored turning pages. Then something tragic took place. Something that I wish had never happened. I got a Facebook account. After that I somehow changed my very way of life. In my free time instead of clasping my mind onto the trials of Oedipus, I was more concerned with checking my Facebook account and seeing who has posted what and who had "liked" my pictures. Why? Why would I rather know that Austin is bored at work and Kate broke up with Josh than know the work that Jurgis had to endure in New York and that Jane did the right thing and left Mr. Rochester?! Isn't that absurd?? What is my generations fascination with screens and social networking?
Relationships are failing, grades are dropping, lives are deteriorating. Why? So that we can stare at a piece of glass or plastic that lights up. It is a tragedy of the upcoming generation and is something that needs to be stopped. Why would we rather text someone for hours on end when we could simply call and have the same message and conversation portrayed in a more personal and real manner? We like to hide behind our screens. It takes away a lot of the risks of having a one on one conversation or discussion with someone. We are less likely to get into an uncomfortable situation that way. Less likely to get caught off guard, less likely to be vulnerable. Or at least that's how we justify it. I did a small survey with several of my close friends and the average time they spent on a social network averaged 2-3 hours a day. Added up that is about 21 hours a week, 2.8 days a month 33.6 days a year. That is over one months time online. How sad! What could we be doing in that time? Who could we be serving? What real relationships could we be nurturing? What could we be discovering? Tragic.
I personally have several social networking accounts. I have email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pintrest accounts. I didn't feel like I was addicted to my screens or networks, so I did an experiment and I went through my laptop and signed out of all of my accounts, I went through my iTouch and deleted all of my social apps, and I went through my phone and blocked texting capabilities (temporarily) to see how long I could last. Within 2 days I was texting again. I lasted a little longer on the social networking sites but it was still only a little over a week until I caved in an re-downloaded apps and signed back in. Even now I am quite disgusted with myself. Why couldn't I stay away? Because I--like so many others--have become addicted to screens. There I said it. They say that the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, right? Well here it goes. Hi. My name is Hailey and I have an addiction to staring at screens instead of developing real relationships, developing myself intellectually, and accomplishing the greatness I am meant to achieve.
I am craving desperately to be reunited with my dear friends in my favorite books, as well as make new ones in new adventures. Why did I ever let a screen (which is bad for your eyes) get in the way of a book (which is amazing for your mind)? All I can say is that enough is enough. I am taking back my life and my education from all those social networks that I have allowed to consume on me.
