unplugged

Sean Conboy 

Understanding Literature

IExamen 1

Dr. Ellis

            Over the course of the day I have come to realize that we live in a society fueled by communication between different individuals.  Whether it is face to face, over text, through email, or on the telephone people have developed technology to communicate through multiple different mediums.  Today it was extremely difficult lacking the technology to communicate with people whom I was not in company with.  Even for just an hour, not possessing communication technology helped me observe interesting habits that many people, as well as myself have developed surrounding cell phones, computers, etc.       

            The most frequent method of communication I use daily is texting.  This is common with most college students as well as most of the youth today.  Texting is convenient as people can have a conversation over large distances.  The problem with texting is that there is no emotion involved.  You cannot judge a persons feelings or emotions with just words.  And as helpful as smiley faces and emojis are, they do not suffice for displaying a certain show of emotion.  Society has come to accept texting due to its simplicity, sacrificing many things that come along with face-to-face conversation.

            Throughout the hour I spent without technology, things were extremely different, and I wasn’t aware of how much of my life revolves around communication technology.  My first thought was to walk throughout the dorm and talk to my friends and roommates about whatever there was to talk about.  Whether it be sports, schoolwork, or going to the gym everything seemed to be normal until I observed everyone eventually reach for their cellphones in their pockets.  Seeing this I reached for my phone just by habit.  It was here where I realized how even in the middle of a casual conversation people resort to texting, checking Facebook, or looking at twitter.  After this I decided to go for a walk.  It’s amazing the things a person can notice when they are not preoccupied by a cell phone or technology.  I walked through campus admiring the beauty of the old buildings such as humanities that I never would have realized had I had my cellphone.  I also noticed the beauty of nature like the different shades of blue in the sky and the greenness of the grass.  The experience gave me a sense of relaxation, being able to enjoy things without the worry of what my friends may be doing at that time.  It was a feeling of calmness that was short lived.  As I returned to my room, the urge was just too great and I had to check my emails, texts, and twitter, ultimately returning to reality.

            Reflecting on what I experienced over the course of the day, taking a few hours a week to refrain from using technology can be very helpful to relax and reflect.  It was an eye opening experience observing how people rely on communication technology in today’s society.  Ultimately, I believe that communication technology is essential, but often times it may be helpful to spend a few hours “unplugged.”