Off the grid

So a friend of mine had an interesting observation, AIM has fallen to the wayside. Which got me to thinking.

To paraphrase Steven, in high school everyone used AOL/AIM, once everyone got high speed internet and started to stay connected all the time they started to use the away message. (Brooks 2008). Somewhere along the way Tom started Myspace, and some Harvard kids started Facebook, and then the battle began for obtaining online friends. At the same time cell phones were becoming common place and eventually texting became the primary form of communication for some people.

Now this all leads me to the point that we are forever and always connected to the world around us. In some cases this is a great thing, I'll even go so far as to say that this is generally-90% of the time a great thing. If I want to talk to a friend who lives in California, New York, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, or Sydney Australia I can do that almost instantly.

Being connected to the world around you is a great thing. What is not a great thing, is being so virtually connected through cellular conversations - both verbally and non-verbally (ie. texting) - that you neglect the people around you. I understand that it's necessary to make phone calls, and to take phone calls while in someone else's company. What I don't understand is when I'm hanging out with someone and they constantly go to the phone for a text message or to answer a call.

Now like I said, I've got nothing against people who take phone calls. I do it, we all probably do it. But if you'll notice, whenever I am hanging out with you and I get a phone call that I need to take, I will get up and answer it in the other room. I won't stand around in front of a bunch of people and chat on the phone, unless I absolutely have to.

Which leads me to my next point.... I think every now and then, it's good for the mind body and soul, to turn your cell phone off. Not if you're expecting a call or anything like that, but seriously try it sometime, don't tell anyone and just turn your phone off. I did it last night, of course I ended up thinking, "I wonder if anyone called?" And no one did but regardless it felt good.

Try it some time, go off the grid.