#Megasync digital instanity full#

You need not delete your social networks or destroy your mobile phones, the solution is simple: be balanced, be mindful, be present, be here. The question remains, is there any hope? Can we auto-correct humanity? Can we find balance in a world that is constantly asking for our attention, updates and uploads? American writer and teacher on the social effects of internet technology Clay Shirky says: “Our social tools are not an improvement to modern society, they are a challenge to it.” I agree, but I am optimistic that these challenges can be overcome. Four entire years shaved off from my life is a very long time and I for one would like to do something a little more productive with my time than looking at a phone. But please don’t get the overarching point misconstrued while I believe it absolutely necessary to utilise technology, we cannot allow it to control us – we must remain in control. Thirty-five-thousand-and-forty hours spent looking down, enthralled in ones touch screen could potentially translate into the mastery of nearly three subjects or skills. What else could we be doing or pursuing with this time? As the old adage goes, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. Studies show that four years of our lives, on average, are spent looking down at our mobile phones. This behaviour not only prevents us from learning and understanding each other but also compromises our skills for self-reflection, which we learn through communicating with others. Turkley states that today we are short-changed out of real conversation as we connect in “sips”. Cultural Analyst Sherry Turkley brings home the point in her TED Talk “Connected but Alone”. I have noticed, anecdotally and empirically, that even though we are more connected on a global scale today than at any other time in history, many of us also exhibit more loneliness than ever before. However, as I look inward and simultaneously step outside of society for a clearer vantage point, I cannot ignore nor help but wonder if our very humanity is being lost at the hands of our touch screens.

These are just a few examples of the beautiful by-products of the digital age. Thousands of lives have been saved byTwitter updates informing people of crimes and disasters.

Millions of people have found love, success, built businesses and re-connected with old friends with just the click of a button. Okay, that’s enough disclosure for now.ĭespite the seemingly negative relationship between humans and technology, the benefits should not be under-emphasised. Oh yeah, I am also guilty of wanting to hear Siri’s voice over that of my girlfriend’s (sorry sweetheart). I have also experienced, on occasion, phantom vibrations – the phenomenon when you feel or hear your phone vibrating in your pocket but in reality it’s on silent and you have no incoming calls. I’m not sure where this particular impulse stems from, but yes it does happen to me.

#Megasync digital instanity full#

Full disclosure: I am no stranger to ‘fake-texting’ to avoid human interaction. Now it’s time to air the really dirty laundry. If we desire to be successful and relevant in this new age, we must adapt. The honest truth is that the world we live in today pushes us to stay connected in the digital space. I admit that I am constantly and regularly engaged with my smartphone and laptop checking emails, responding to fan messages and watching YouTube videos. Let me begin by airing my own dirty laundry.