By Neha Seenarine
(Photo by Dalelan Anderson on Unsplash)
Our world is reliant on technology, but what if it was taken away from us?
We are dependent on our phones, television, and laptops to navigate our life for us. We would not know how to drive to a new restaurant without a GPS app or what to wear without checking the Weather app before we hit the shower. Luckily, I can explain what happened to me in a day without technology in 2021. A storm hit my town and took out my electricity. I imagined the power would be restored after an hour or two because that is usually the case with bad weather. However, I was in for the longest day of my life.
Seventy seven percent of people responded that they believe society as a whole relied too much on technology to succeed according to a study by Penn State. When people say all their work is on their laptop, it is true. I had my phone running on cellular data until the battery died. I sat there thinking about all the work I could have gotten done. I could have finished school assignments, written an article, or update my Pinterest boards if I really wanted to.
“The type of entertainment we get from technology today is known as ‘passive’ entertainment,” according to the University of People, which is like being on autopilot. This could be anything from binge-watching a show on Netflix to listening to a podcast. It does not require much effort. Passive entertainment, or passive leisure, is different from active entertainment or active leisure, which involves the exertion of physical or mental energy.
Communication Technology has soared, and we have taken technology for granted. We use social media to pass time and abuse search engines to answer all our questions. I was not able to see my emails or follow up with a friend on how they are doing today and the funky memes they saw. I am so used to my mother texting me if I am ready for dinner. Texting lacks facial interaction and the steps we could have made across the house.
It seems that I was out of the loop for a day. However, it was nice to be away from all the blue light seeping into me. I would recommend taking a break from technology whether it is a few hours or a weekend. It allows you to reflect and be exposed to the things around you. Your phone can break, but the external resources around