Undertake A Digital Cleanse
Consider the effect of modern technology on community and society. Imagine what life would be like without cellphones, television sets, or internet technology (you couldn't be reading this!)
It's time for a digital detox. De-degitize your life for 31 hours straight and go without a cell phone, television, or any internet connectivity. Keep a journal of your experience, focusing on our dependence on technology, the consequences of our constant connectivity, the impact of technology on social capital, and a comparison of your life on-line and off-line. Share your thoughts, pictures, videos, audio, or words about the impact of technology on you and your community.
11 comments:
By: Dawn,Mary,and Sara
Americans are starting to depend on technology much more then we ever thought could happen. There's things like facebook,cell phones, telephones, texting, Instant Messaging,Myspace,Email,Fax,and much more. What happened to old fashioned letters or delivering messages by voice?? Well so much has changed and we did an experiment to see if I could last 31 hours without using a cell phone. Since I was sick Tuesday and Wednesday, I didn't go to school and I was sleeping the majority of the time so that part wasn't as hard to not use a cell phone. But when I was at home by myself and I was resting, it was really hard to not just take a peek at my phone just to see if i had 1 text message. I would constantly think about checking it whenever I walked by my dresser, but then I told my mom what I had to do for an experiment and convinced her to take it from me so I wouldn't be in reach of it. Teens these days are becoming upsessed with cell phones and it's almost worse than kids and television. Since cell phones seem to be the "cool and mature" thing, this leads more people to purchase them. But it probably won't last for too long cause soon enough there will be another new technology that is even more cool and updated than a cell phone. But hopefully, we can track back a little to more traditional things so we don't become isolated and distant from our friends,families, and peers.
~Dawn,Mary, and Sara
Picture coming soon . . .
my 31 hours (well, there was a 5 minute period I turned it on in case I missed something important, but Mr. Milner gave us concession for that. Didn't actually use it) without my phone weren't any different.
But then again, I don't depend on my phone a whole lot. It's how I find people around campus and at home, and sometimes for school related things (asking questions about class or telling someone they need to work).
It was a Wednesday (tuesday night at 11 PM until Thursday morning was the whole period), and on Wednesdays a phone doesn't help me out a whole lot. Between class and sleep and practice, it isn't very hard to find people because it isn't difficult to judge where they might be (the cafeteria at lunchtime, the connector building at curfew, etc. etc.).
Generally speaking, people use their phone for a lot of nonsensical bulls*** such as meaningless texting and conversations that amount to absolutely nothing.
We're spoiled by out technology, and have forgotten how to live without it. We isolate ourselves more and more and figure out easier ways to communicate so we can be more isolated.
I won't pretend that I abhor my cell phone and that I try and never use it, because I would be lying. I use mine, well, because . . .
Everyone else is doing it . . .
-Zach (really??? never saw that coming)
group members: Davida, Kelsey, Perry
10:15 class
http://maria12256.wetpaint.com/page/Commonweal
Toma and Me had really hard time to live without cell phone, actually it was a disaster for both of us.
According to me, since I dicided to turn off my cell phone and leave it in my room, I feel mess and upset. During that 31 hours, I always thought I would miss some important calls or messages. I also habitually put my hand into the pocket, even there was no cell phoine in it.
It was a really terrible time, I can't easily find any people. I think I am the person who is not able to live without technology, neighter cell phone nor internet. These great invention brings us convenience. You could have more communication with all parts of the world. Don't pretend you dislike technology because it disturbs you sometimes. We know we need it really much.
Jie and Toma
MY NEW PHONE
By L. F. Good
These 31 hours were quite anxious ones for me, because I had just gotten a new phone for myself. My previous modern cell phone had broken, so I had to use my dad’s old Nokia until our phone service plan would allow me to get a new phone for free. Now that I finally had a phone with pictures and videos and an mp3 player, I did this project! I noticed that I have a nervous habit of fidgetting with my phone, opening and closing it. It was interesting seeing how anxious I was without it, because it cut off so much normal human contact. It made my communication with everybody more difficult because I usually call or text my friends when we decide when to hang out, I call my parents and friends from home on my cell, and I communicate with my flute teacher on via phone. Anyway, the 31 hours finally came to an end, and I had a bunch of texts from people, and I thought it was interesting how I didn’t miss texting all that much; it’s more of just something to do when I’m bored. But without a cell phone, I was more likely to pick up a book or play chess. I think texting isn’t great for people because it’s not a form of direct commuication; there is no emotion, it’s very short, and it often has poor grammar, and a person can’t figure out the emotions of the person who texted him or her. I don’t think the telephone feature is a bad thing, though; I think talking on the phone brings people closer together because you can express emotion, and there’s something special about listening to someone’s voice rather than reading something that was typed; however, I might just think that because I’m a musician. :)
http://i43.tinypic.com/2wnyeld.jpg <-- My lovely turquoise phone!
Going 31 hours was interesting. it wasn't hard to do, but i did feel disconnected from people. I know that my parents needed to talk to me and i couldn't and they thought i was just ignoring them. my friends kept texting me and wondering why i wasn't answering them. I think the phone does bring people together somewhat. I have friends all over the world and i do like to talk to them and the phone is an easy way to. it is such an easy way to keep in touch with each other. this is my lonely phone..
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/geardiary_pantech_matrix_pro_08-483x500.jpg
At first i thought it was going to be hard, but as i went further and further without my phone it didnt bother me as much. I learned to deal with it and i eventually got over it. My mom and my brother teased me the first couple of hours and i ended up crying but after that i was good. I felt disconnected from my besties and my cousins and i was just getting text after text but i had to ignore them which was hard at first but i got over it. They were getting mad at me and i was happy to have my phone back too.
I did this experiment for my AP Gov. class for my teacher Mr. Harvey. When I originally saw this experiment, quite honestly I chose it for the reason that it would be unbelievably easy. I, myself, do not rely on my cell to get through the day. The absence of the phone was not difficult for me, but rather for the people who needed to get in touch with me. For that reason, I found that this lab was anything but easy.
I recently turned 16, but I have not gotten my license quite yet (complications with some forms), therefore I still have a mother that drives me to school and everywhere else. She knows what time we get out of school everyday, but that doesn't mean she knows my exact location when I do finally get out of class. Sometimes my after-school business changes. One afternoon I'm in Math to get some worksheets that I missed, or I could be in Chemistry asking about a test coming up. My location always varies. Usually, I would have my phone so my mom could ask where I am. This day was different. We had no idea where the other was. There was a point where my mom went searching through the halls to try to find me the hard way. It was a very large mess, to be honest. Finally we somehow found each other. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to get at is, even something as simple as picking your child up is made difficult without a communication device.
Like what most of the students said above me, our society has become reliant on technology. I personally, do not see anything wrong with it. If farmers working in the cotton pastures refused to use the cotton gin, where would our society be today? If citizens thought it unnecessary to create a railroad that stretched across the United States, how would everyday life be affected right now? The point is, technology is constantly changing, and if one were to not accept the change, society will pour over them with no thought. As human beings, we are constantly changing and refusing to "role with it" would be denying our natural tendencies to become better.
~ Carolyn I.
2A Harvey AP Gov.
file:///tmp/0422121302.jpg <--- Photo
I have also done this experiment for my AP Gov class. I figure this would be pretty easy since i've gone through this many many times in my life. Lets just say that my phones and water certainly do not get along.
Last summer i went 2 months without one and i felt way more independent and free, and this year i dropped my phone and it landed in a puddle at my girlfriends house, imagine that.
So as you can see i am not new to this Ha. When i have my phone i felt as if i was in touch with anyone i wanted to be, and i had to be able to respond to whatever they may want. For instance, would you want your mom nagging you all day on the phone? Or perhaps an annoying acquaintance bothering you to hang out? Maybe even an unwanted Facebook update? Well i'm here to tell you that it can get VERY old.
31 Hours without a cell phone is no task to me. The feeling that i first got was something along the lines of no talking to friends or any facebook, but soon after i realized that no one is there to annoy me :D I could basicly just go hang out with friends and my mom couldnt nag me about when im coming home haha. (i sound terrible)
No phone, lets just say its a huge weight off your chest. You dont have to worry about pleasing others anymore. You can just live in the now of life and enjoy the little things. I encourage everyone to try it.
-Paden
I started the 31 hours without my cell phone on May 13 at 11:00 and if i did the math right i would have ended on May 14 at 6:00 and i did end at 6. Those 31 hours weren't as bad as i thought they would be. I have to admit it, it was hard sometimes not to touch it to text. But i didn't let myself do it. I truly wanted to commit with this lab. I was actually relieved to let go of my phone(i know that sounds crazy) but it actually let me concentrate fully on my homework and i actually did things that i havent done in a long time like spend random time with my family and read a book. I am so dependent on technology because in this day in age we have to use the internet for our homework and to do research for project etc. I am more dependent on the internet than i am for my phone. I actually enjoyed time without my phone. The time without my phone was fun because i wasn't waiting for a text, phone call, etc. I could just enjoy the free time i had. The time that i have with my phone was in a way slightly better because i could connect with my friends and other people. you can see my phone on my blog!
I didn't use my cell phone for the 36 hours and I have to admit,it was pretty hard. I'm so use to be dependent to it that I guess I took advantage of it. I was more relaxed when I didn't have it then when it was in my hand constantly. It shows that I probably could live without it once in awhile and that I need to stop using it as much as I do
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