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Mar
17
Conundrums of Connectivity
Filed Under Life's Journey
It’s difficult for me to remember what life was like without 24/7 access to the Internet. I was barely a teenager when dial-up came to our house (thank you CompuServe). Then it was AOL, then an ISDN line at the office, and then ultimately high-speed always-on access, wired and wireless. Without the Internet, I wouldn’t have been able to start the companies I’ve started, do the jobs I do, or know many of the people I know today.
In addition to the Web’s connectivity, I’ve also enjoyed some of the benefits from social media, including blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter and a brief rendezvous with Facebook. Lately, though, I’m beginning to question my quality and rhythm of life, including learning patterns, times of rest, relationships, and ultimately my identity. It’s no secret I’ve struggled with this stuff before.
According to a recent Time article, “the U.S.-based Center for Internet Addiction Recovery classifies [internet addiction] as compulsive behavior in which ‘the Internet becomes the organizing principle of addicts’ lives.’” Although that definition is a bit too dramatic, I resemble more than resent such an accusation. Not good.
The same article referenced China’s estimated 300 million Web users, the most in the world. “China is struggling with an epidemic of Internet obsession among its youth. Since the establishment in 2004 of the country’s first Internet-addiction-treatment facility, the China Youth Mental Health Center, more than 3,000 patients have been treated there.”
I fear that my constant connection and interaction with the Web is training my brain to believe that the world revolves around me. I know instinctively this is not true, but practically, this is often the way I behave. With just a few clicks I can tell employees what to do, tell stores what to ship me, and I can tell Google what to get me.
Life has got to be about more than just minimizing the distance between what I have and what I don’t have. The Web is attempting to convince me otherwise.
I don’t know what exactly this all means for how I live. It’s obviously difficult to function these days without the Internet so I don’t think I’m looking to quit. Seems a little backwards. But I am seeking a better way to live in light of the enormous amount of time I spend with my computer every day.
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7 Responses to “Conundrums of Connectivity”
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A great question to ask, but an even better perspective. Thanks for sharing. It’s something I need to think through too.
I found this post on Twitter…so obviously I can relate. You’re on to something with the over connectivity. I wonder though if it’s not so much the reorganizing of the brain to believe that the world revolves around you, rather than struggling with the illusion of importance. We believe that the internet and virtual “friends” and contacts are as important as our real life relationships – I’m afraid that’s the main problem. We substitute “real work” for “virtual work” and shift everything one step out of reality. I think we can capture these tools as social utilities, but must not allow them to become social substitutes.
This is where my head has been the last month. Just wrote about my struggle last week on my site. I keep thinking what is the next hoop of connectivity we “need” to jump through. We are going to have so much going on keeping up that we might not have time to actually communicate. I am thinking about inventing a new product…a pen and paper.
When my employer made recent salary cuts we decided that the easiest and healthiest way for our family to make up much of the loss was to drop our Fios TV and Internet, and the data plan on my Treo. Benefits so far: not working from home all night long, better connection with my wife and baby, and my eyes aren’t crossed anymore from staring at the screen. In a word, it’s been GLORIOUS!
Brad,
Good post. I just went through my own evaluation of this stuff, Developing a Personal Social Media Strategy: Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter…who am I?.
Appreciated your thoughts.
Brad,
You are right on. It is ironic and sad at the same time, but I have started questioning the true validity of my relationships. Not just my acquaintances, but my real true friendships as they relate to Facebook, Twitter, blogs, text messages, etc. i.e.
When our small group gets together, we have almost nothing new to talk about! Why? Because all week we have communicated in all the impersonal ways mentioned above (and others). The result? I find it is hard to develop true, deep, relationships. The idea of sharing experiences with your closest friends, having “inside jokes”, secrets, and other relational strengthening experiences/knowledge is starting to disappear.
Long term, for me personally, and others (especially the Church), i don’t believe this is good.
In some ways the internet can become detrimental to a relationship. We have laughed at all the jokes and cartoons, maybe even gulped thinking that that is so me.
My wife loves it when a pull out a real book and read it, he he he. Actually I love the tactile feel of a book over things like blogs and clicking the next button with the mouse.
But as much as the internet cannot replace ‘physical’ relationships it cannot be discarded completely because the online communities and connections are just as real.