MWS (Media Withdrawal Syndrome)

Last Wednesday I slept over at my parents' place. They're currently away on holidays. On the days I wasn't working I was going to do my sister a favor by dropping off my youngest nephew at the bus stop in the morning for school.

Normally she drops him off at their place on her way to work at around 7:45 a.m. and they walk him to the bus stop at 8:15. For me to get to my parents' place in time I'd have to leave my condo before 7:15. So, instead of doing that, I figured I'd sleep over.

One thing I don't like about staying over at my parents' place is that, for me, there's nothing to do. They don't have a computer and only basic cable. So there's no e-mail, no chatting, no Facebook, no Discovery Channel, TSN or much of anything else. I'm devoid of all outside contact. It's like be stuck in the wilderness with nothing to do except ponder the meaning of your own existence.

I did a few Sudoku puzzles they had lying around from the free papers they pick up. I listened to the news on the radio for a short time. I considered reading a book that was sitting on the coffee table about living with cancer. But, instead, I turned on the TV and watched soccer on Sports Net then caught the news on CTV. I have to tell you I really don't like watching soccer. But, with little else on that's how desperate I was.

It's weird how alone you feel in situations like this. When you're so used to being connected electronically to the world around you. It's funny to see how we've become so conditioned.

Is Technology an Intrusion in our Lives?

Not my image

To Tweet or not to Tweet. To text or not to text. Why do we do it? Why do people feel the need to be in constant contact with one another lest a moment pass without us knowing what the other is up to? Is what any one of us doing at any particular point in time that important that we feel the need to broadcast it to the world? Does anyone really care that you're bored in chemistry class or about the new pair of Uggs you bought at Town Shoes or who your newest BFF is? Will the world stop turning if we stop Tweeting? Of course not.

So why the undying devotion to Twitter and texting and whatever else the gods of technology have blessed us with to keep our fingers busily typing away? Is this nothing more than a security blanket to let us know our friends are nearby and that they care about every single thing that we do? Are we comforted by the fact that someone, anyone out there, is somewhat interested in what happens in our lives? Does it validate us? Gives our meager existence meaning? Perhaps to some people it does.

For me... I just don't get it. It's a phenomenon I don't understand. Perhaps I'm getting old. The world is leaving me in its dust. In this case I can't say I care much. Tweet away my friends. As for me... I'll catch up with you at lunch next week and you can tell me what you've been up to face to face.