Disconnected from technology

[shootingstar]

So this father went on long motorcycle ride across Mongolia with 18 yr. old son without cellphones.  Part of it to spend more time together and also get son away from cellphone distractions.  Learn how to just ride in meditative thoughts, be with one's thoughts however fun or boring.

I might be of the luddites here....not yet with a cellphone.  I am on the internet/check email several times daily, sometimes for long stretches outside of my job which is 80% computer-based.  Rest is meetings and teaching.

It's very easy and doesn't bother me to sit for over an hr....not reading, no computer/cellphone.  Just thinking, staring out of vehicle or into space.  When I fly for an hr...often I don't even take advantage of the free shows, music. I don't even listen to music often at all. 

But my brain is active or sleeping. It's ok. Really for me. I feel calm...by doing nothing on long vehicle ride if I'm not cycling.

[ChrisL]

5 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

I might be of the luddites here....not yet with a cellphone.  I am on the internet/check email several times daily, sometimes for long stretches outside of my job which is 80% computer-based.  Rest is meetings and teaching.

 

Do what makes you happy but a smart phone could replace much of what you note above.  Most people use their phones for everything but a phone.  Talking is probably what I do the least on mine.

Surfing my favorite sites including this one, email both work & personal, music, YouTube...  

It’s also easier for us who spent a good part of our lives without a smart phone to appreciate life without one.  Kids today just don’t know... But I would take my kids camping to unplug. 

[Further]

28 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

So this father went on long motorcycle ride across Mongolia with 18 yr. old son without cellphones.  Part of it to spend more time together and also get son away from cellphone distractions.  Learn how to just ride in meditative thoughts, be with one's thoughts however fun or boring.

I might be of the luddites here....not yet with a cellphone.  I am on the internet/check email several times daily, sometimes for long stretches outside of my job which is 80% computer-based.  Rest is meetings and teaching.

It's very easy and doesn't bother me to sit for over an hr....not reading, no computer/cellphone.  Just thinking, staring out of vehicle or into space.  When I fly for an hr...often I don't even take advantage of the free shows, music. I don't even listen to music often at all. 

But my brain is active or sleeping. It's ok. Really for me. I feel calm...by doing nothing on long vehicle ride if I'm not cycling.

I've had very few original thoughts while listening to someone else's 

It's good to just let the mind wander occasionally  

[maddmaxx ★]

My mind wanders often.  

[Razors Edge ★]

11 hours ago, shootingstar said:

Disconnected from technology

....

So this father went on long motorcycle ride across Mongolia with 18 yr. old son without cellphones.  Part of it to spend more time together and also get son away from cellphone distractions.  Learn how to just ride in meditative thoughts, be with one's thoughts however fun or boring.

Wait! Where did those digital photos for the story come from????

[Kzoo]

11 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Do what makes you happy but a smart phone could replace much of what you note above.  Most people use their phones for everything but a phone.  Talking is probably what I do the least on mine.

Surfing my favorite sites including this one, email both work & personal, music, YouTube...  

It’s also easier for us who spent a good part of our lives without a smart phone to appreciate life without one.  Kids today just don’t know... But I would take my kids camping to unplug. 

This.  Talking is the least used function of my phone.  Email - surfing - texting - Audible - traffic app for the commute twice a day.......

But I can see the dad in this story trying to disconnect from all of that. 

[Zealot]

Disconnecting is good. 

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, Zealot said:

Disconnecting is good. 

And miss this photo op????

[Zealot]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

And miss this photo op????

‘Photo ops’ are all around us. But they are also ‘living ops’.  Sometimes it’s better to live/be in the moment instead of taking pics of it to post in social media sites....

[Razors Edge ★]

13 minutes ago, Zealot said:

‘Photo ops’ are all around us. But they are also ‘living ops’.  Sometimes it’s better to live/be in the moment instead of taking pics of it to post in social media sites....

Yep.  It's actually tough sometimes to maintain the proper balance between the "capture" the moment vs "live" the moment.  Digital cameras - now in almost everyone's pocket - certainly have increased the ability (and the urge) to go the capture route, but that certainly has been true as long as there have been cameras.  

I've personally "disconnected" more through simple restraint rather than through truly unplugging.  My phone is with me 99% of the time I am out and about, and I will gladly snap a pic or take a video of something interesting or even as a reminder to revisit later on. I've learned "more" is not "better" with photos on vacation, since it is torture to wade through 1,000 (or even 100 or even 20) photos to distill the "best" one.

My guess is that "disconnecting" is becoming more simply about not getting into a cycle of creating/posing for social media, posting, following, worrying about, adding to, and borderline obsessing about a SM post.

Of course, some folks aren't good at living/being in the moment regardless of ANY external influences like technology.  Take them to the Great Pyramid, and they are still a stick in the mud. They might actually get most excited pointing out how "wrong" the folks are who are taking photos and selfies.

It's all about moderation and finding the balance that works.  What's neat, though, is that I will likely put that photo of my pup onto one of our digital picture frames, and EVERY time it will cycle through, I will get a big smile and will also have those "real life memories" of petting her, playing with her, having her make ridiculous faces or funny noises, and many other happy recollections.  Memories that likely would be triggered less often without the cue from that photo (and many others).  It's really a great gift - memories of a long life and the pieces that make it special - captured forever in photos and videos.

[jsharr ★]

[Zealot]

7 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Yep.  It's actually tough sometimes to maintain the proper balance between the "capture" the moment vs "live" the moment.  Digital cameras - now in almost everyone's pocket - certainly have increased the ability (and the urge) to go the capture route, but that certainly has been true as long as there have been cameras.  

I've personally "disconnected" more through simple restraint rather than through truly unplugging.  My phone is with me 99% of the time I am out and about, and I will gladly snap a pic or take a video of something interesting or even as a reminder to revisit later on. I've learned "more" is not "better" with photos on vacation, since it is torture to wade through 1,000 (or even 100 or even 20) photos to distill the "best" one.

My guess is that "disconnecting" is becoming more simply about not getting into a cycle of creating/posing for social media, posting, following, worrying about, adding to, and borderline obsessing about a SM post.

Of course, some folks aren't good at living/being in the moment regardless of ANY external influences like technology.  Take them to the Great Pyramid, and they are still a stick in the mud. They might actually get most excited pointing out how "wrong" the folks are who are taking photos and selfies.

It's all about moderation and finding the balance that works.  What's neat, though, is that I will likely put that photo of my pup onto one of our digital picture frames, and EVERY time it will cycle through, I will get a big smile and will also have those "real life memories" of petting her, playing with her, having her make ridiculous faces or funny noises, and many other happy recollections.  Memories that likely would be triggered less often without the cue from that photo (and many others).  It's really a great gift - memories of a long life and the pieces that make it special - captured forever in photos and videos.

Agreed. ?

 

[shootingstar]

11 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Wait! Where did those digital photos for the story come from????

I carry a digital pocket camera occasionally. It's not even once a wk. if in home city.  On trips. of course, it's nearly daily I have camera with me.  True wading through photos takes effort,....but clearly for me, I have a blog/a pur;pose rather than just whittling down a pile of digital photos ...and storing away where no one is going to even see my best shots anymore.

I don't have much of a need to surf the 'Net while  outside of home, hotel, building.  No, I don't check prices on the fly, or stuff locally when I'm outside of a building.  I've already searched and noted down the info., destination, etc. for myself.  No, I don't play digital card games or other digital stuff to kill time.  I read a book or look at things around me/people passing by. I will never be the person walking across the intersection/along sidewalk absorbed in iPhone and not looking up.  

Remember.....I like the 'net...part of my paid jobs/career has been teaching people  information literacy skills and how to research reliable information sources. I am not anti-electronic information... I am all about being alert, aware yet positive and living well in the moment.

 

[KrAzY]

9 hours ago, jsharr said:

I tried that once.. I was not a fan as much as I at just beating my head against the keyboard and seeing how the computer autocorrects what my noggin has to say.