We’ve all heard those common phrases of today’s world, and we’ve probably all uttered similar sayings at some point in our lives: “I couldn’t LIVE without my phone, my LIFE is on it. I’d be LOST without it.”
The scary thing? That it’s true for most of us. If I lost my phone tomorrow, all of my personal contacts would be lost, along with hundreds of photos, memories, playlists and priceless videos (this is probably a good time to back this stuff up…). I’d then have to suffer the hideous insurance company phone calls, tedious exchanges of pointless information that accompany acquiring exactly the same model of mobile phone that I’d lost. Frankly, it’s a pain in the arse.
Everywhere you go today, you’ll see people clutching mobiles. Some will be furiously typing away as they charge at you, face to screen, like a mad, impatient rhino in a human suit (“this email cannot wait! I have NO TIME to raise my head and look where I’m going, this email is TOO IMPORTANT! GET OUT OF MY WAY, IDIOTS!”) You’ll see others at coffee shop tables, browsing social media – these people can often be seen alone, ironically surrounded by other people doing precisely the same thing; being ‘social’. You’ll see others with headphones on, connected to their favorite playlist on their mobile. There are others who take photos of themselves pouting in mirrors, incongruously in a pub or restaurant toilet (the prime place for a photo shoot?) You’ve probably been bothered by someone bellowing into their handset on public transport, the same fool who looks disgruntled that their phone doesn’t work in a train tunnel…
It’s not that I hate mobile phones. They’re brilliant little things. If someone told me 10 years ago that I could have my ipod, camera and diary on a phone, amongst other amazing things, I think my head would’ve exploded in utter disbelief. It’s what phones do to the people attached to them that annoys me. Some people turn into impatient, shouting morons, with absolutely no time or energy for the people around them. If you go into town after work on a Friday evening, it’s not uncommon to see groups of friends ‘socialising’ over a well-deserved beer – although at regular intervals, one or all of them are glued to a screen of some kind. Checking emails, texting colleagues, catching up on things that simply can’t wait until Monday.
I’ve often found myself people watching in these situations, and wondering how people would cope without those tiny devices we’re now so dependent on. What’s the go-to reaction, should you find yourself arriving early at a meeting place? Get out the phone. Draft an email, check a social networking site, send a text. With a group of friends, and finding the conversation too boring? Whip out the phone! It’s a universally accepted distraction these days, and one person checking their phone usually results in a domino-effect cascade of others in the group reaching for their beloved device.
So, what’s my point? Well, I’m off to Ghana in a few days. The last time I went, my phone didn’t work. However, instead of feeling lost and alone, I felt liberated. Without the bleeping of social media updates, texts, phone calls, emails, and app notifications, my life was decidedly peaceful. My family and friends had the contact number of the village I was staying in, should there be an emergency. So, all in all, I had 6 weeks of smartphone-free time – and it was glorious. One of the things I’m most looking forward to about my impending trip is another two weeks without the blasted device. Blissful silence, emphasized by the remote and serene setting. No distractions, just simplicity.
The Challenge
I’d like to pose a challenge – could you create a phone-free zone? Could you switch it off, put it in a draw, and ignore it for a whole day? Does reverting back to a simpler existence sound blissful, or hellish? Let me know in the comments section below.
