by alan leon
The theme of this web log is living well and deliberately ; moving more slowly and mindfully in a fast paced urban setting
I was talking with a yogi and herbalist friend (who prefers to remain anonymous- we will refer to her as shelia) on the subject of living without the latest technology..she is fairly unique in not owning a computer or other electronic devices
al- I understand you don’t own a computer….is this a conscious choice? economic? electromagnetic?
shelia- The need for a computer is not driving my life.I am not in a hurry to jump into a bandwagon of every new gadget.. I do not need it for my life…I am not opposed to them… I’m glad about their use for democratic uprisings and as an organizing tool…I like to feel I use the computer judiciously…(outside the home)
al-what are the down sides of time spent on computer ?
shelia -its a dark, slippery slope that is talked about infrequently..
the addictive quality, the driving you into realms you had no desire to visit…..I don’t like interacting with a machine..its not a human interaction..it doesn’t come anywhere close…and the etiquette around technology is poor…when to use and not use…civil manners have disappeared..anything goes and rudeness rules
al- can you see yourself doing more on a computer in the future?
shelia- maybe as a storehouse for photos..but its not my preferred way to communicate; I want some humanity. I get so much out of connecting with people face-to-face and that is where i put my time…something huge is lost in computer interactions…
al- so the advantages of non-ownership outweigh the inconveinence?
shelia- definitely, I have a 100 books on my shelf i am raring to read ..I dont have time for distractions….
al- anything else?
shelia- yes, technology has an incidious way of speeding life up -so there are more and more responses required and expectations and demands of multi-tasking,… its a little much
I have found people are more bothered by me not having a computer than i am ..many people have offered to buy me a computer for their convienence or because they feel it would better my life..we already have information overload..information doesn’t make us wiser or more understanding…its enough,,, I don’t need any more
food for thought-you can do just fine, even thrive, without screens and looking down at a device all day.