Courage to Be Off-grid — Just Switch Off!A Story by Daniel JohnsonPeople who stare at displays are the norm in subways, trains, queues, in restaurants, alone and in pairs, everywhere — and also in lecture halls and seminar rooms.Again a message via WhatsApp, answering two
emails, checking the news portal, quickly sending another text; where is the
restaurant where we meet tonight? People who stare at displays are the norm
in subways, trains, queues, in restaurants, alone and in pairs, everywhere �"
and also in lecture halls and seminar rooms. Humans and smartphones are a
perfect match. As if we had longed for this symbiosis for centuries, the device
serves as a crutch to compensate for human ailments, such as forgetfulness
(photo collection), the laziness of thinking (Google), shyness (Facebook,
emails, texts). Just like portable gambling dens, discos, and video stores,
boredom has been abolished, our entire private and professional lives flow
together on the device �" no wonder that we can hardly put it down. Between Presence and Virtual Reality With the smartphone, the boundaries of time
and space blur: we are there physically, but our attention is constantly
jumping back and forth. Does our counterpart even notice us? We are no longer
sure of this since the concentration oscillates continuously between presence
and virtual reality. Between worlds, like the student who just
presented how her group imagines the issue of the use of mobile communication
devices, as soon as someone starts to respond, the student is already immersed
in a mobile device. Like the cyclist who drives in front of us in a serpentine
line and just misses the lamppost: he is engaged in his smartphone world,
additionally acoustically shielded by huge headphones. Defensive reactions range from confusion �"
is the other person listening to me or not? �" up to the annoyance of
"phubbing" (from "phone" and "stubbing", to stub
your toe). The warnings of "abuse" or excessive use of mobile devices
range from "digital dementia" to problems with concentration and poor
performance due to multitasking, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, and
even a real addiction potentially. As a tool of busyness that corresponds to
the spirit of the times, mobile devices are always at hand to remove you from
burgeoning boredom, to avoid emptiness, to fill any free space. This form of
activity can represent a "manic defense", emptiness and boredom can
then no longer be used to perceive your own world, your own thoughts, your own
state of mind. Always Available, Always Online According to a study by the Techniker Krankenkasse, an average of 87 percent of 18 to 25-year-olds are always available, always online, which means that they make sure very frequently throughout the day whether a message has arrived, and interrupt all activity because of it. Complaints about the stress caused by
information and stimulus overload, and constant interruptions (and the related
illnesses) are increasing, although in the case of smartphones we willingly
provoke these interruptions and the flood of information ourselves, by
constantly checking whether the last few minutes something happened in the
cyber world. Advice on reducing stress and relaxation
can, therefore, also be understood as a plea for more emptiness: walking,
breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness training, doing nothing �" all this
serves to perceive the here and now and not to force any activities.
"Switching off" can be taken literally: it means taking a time-out
for the smartphone too. The most effective executives are those who can both
act and reflect �" which means making time to do nothing. We need the emptiness
in which thoughts, creativity, intuition can unfold. Well dosed, every day.
Therefore: just switch off! © 2020 Daniel JohnsonAuthor's Note
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Added on June 23, 2020 Last Updated on June 23, 2020 |