2 A Day

So I am seriously not utilizing this blog to its full potential. This is my opportunity to be creative and really think about ways to use technology to make me (and, hopefully, others) happier, more fulfilled people. I feel like, as a general rule, it tends to do the opposite. Social media has us constantly preforming, trying to think of clever tweets or make our lives seem more impressive than they are. Smartphones with email capabilities often mean we're never out of touch with work. We're living a lot of our lives online and with technology, and I just think it's a good idea that we learn to use it in positive ways, and that we don't develop dependence.

Of course I know there are some things that we necessarily depend on technology to do for us, like run credit cards, provide instantaneous access to information, etc. But going a day without it shouldn't make us crazy or anxious. We should be able to unplug and enjoy life from time to time. And we should generally know how to spell and find reliable sources for our information, too. That's why I gave up Facebook for the month--to unplug from social media and use technology to celebrate things that fulfill me and make me happy. But I'm not sure if I'm doing that, or if anyone can really show me how to.

I do know one thing--it's harder to be in touch with people without it. I've probably missed some birthdays. There are some friends who are hard to get ahold of, and Facebook provided a place for that. I miss them, but it makes me realize how messed up our lives can get. Are we really so busy (my peer group) that we can't make time to send a chain of texts? That the only contact we can really have with each other comes from one line messages on our Facebook walls? There's something wrong there.

I don't know the solution to this. I don't know if there is one. But I hope I'm coming close to it, or accomplishing something with this little project. At the end of it, I'm curious if my usage of social media will change at all. I'm not sure, but it sure is something to consider.