How often do you actually click on any of those links your friends put up on Facebook? Once? Twice? Every time? (Cos let’s face it, your friends are hilarious!)
I don’t even remember which one of my friends shared this You Tube video and I don’t usually explore any links from Facebook, but I am certainly glad I made an exception for this one.
Look Up: http://youtu.be/Z7dLU6fk9QY
Posted by Gary Turk, a guy from the UK, it has become a world-wide viewed and reviewed video. It’s a spoken poem about how we have isolated ourselves from each other by choosing technology over personal interaction. We are all guiltily of it in some form or another (I am blogging this on my phone on the tram ride to work…very guilty!). He has copped a lot of critism for the video from some people, but personally I think we all need to be reminded about it every day.
I am looking up at people around me on the tram and probably 60% are using their phones. A couple are reading books (nice to see they still exist on public transport!) and most have ear phones in, signalling loud and clear “do not talk to me”.
It’s pretty frightening when you think about how much technology takes over our lives. The things just our phones can now do are mind boggling. I confess I am an addict. While eating breakfast I check facebook, instagram and emails (actually I check emails far more than necessary during the day and way more than is probably healthy). My phone is my calculator, diary, note taker, bank (internet and phone banking is the best thing ever though!), street directory, news reel, camera and encyclopaedia. Probably the one thing I don’t use it for which is a bit unusual is using it to listen to music (I know! I’m not using it to its full potential!!)
So I now pledge to put down my phone and interact. I will train myself to break the habit and resist the urge to check my social media accounts so often. I am definitely going to stop browsing pinterest before bed!!
Gary’s video was another inspiration for this blog. After I got off the tram, I put my phone away for the walk to work and made sure to glance up as much as possible to take in my surroundings. And you know what? It worked. I smiled at passers by and felt liberated!! I also came across this (which then meant I had to retrieve my phone to take a photo, but it went straight back into my bag afterwards):
Anything with googly eyes cracks me up! It made my morning!
Here’s hoping I discover a few more on the way home!
B x
glanceup 