Instant & Urgent

I recently got a Smart Phone—the iphone 4 to be exact. I got it for free since Apple just released the iphone 5. I pretty sure I'm one of the last people on the earth to graduate to a Smart Phone. I was holding out for a lot of reason but mostly for the reasons of this post.

I am going to confess to a few outrageous things: 1. I don't actually liked to be reached at all times of the day 2. I don't like my phone to rule my life 3. I believe that people come before electronics ALWAYS 4. Everything is NOT urgent 5. Just because you can reach me instantly doesn't mean I am always available.

 I have an old heart. I currently own a typewriter & a record player that are both 2x older (or more) than me. I love them. So you can imagine how a Smart Phone makes me feel. I noticed I am more anxious. I feel like I can't hide from anyone. I feel the urgency that seems to exist when you carry a Smart Phone that anyone can get a hold of you any time and that everything needs to be responded to immediately.

In this fashion urgency has lost is flavor a bit. If everything needs be instant and urgent then how does anyone know the difference?

Found HERE

I am a people person. I have always been this way. Therefore, in my world I place people over just about anything else. When I make time for people I focus on them—not my phone. I believe in voice mail, the silence function, text messages, and anything else that makes it possible for me to respond to people's needs in a time that makes sense and when I actually have time for them.

I can't you how many times someone has called me and couldn't actually talk to me. They were multitasking or trying to do too many things at once. A part of me just laughs as they called me. I didn't call them. They could've waited until they had the time or the place to actually talk to me.

Also, it baffles me a bit that people get so upset (sometimes even angry) when I don't respond immediately to them either via email, text, or mobile.  Yes, I periodically turn off my phone. Yes, I put my phone on silence most of the work day. Yes, I decline calls when I'm with people, eating, driving, talking to my family, friends, or roommates. Yes, I sometimes don't get to my emails immediately. Yes, sometimes I do an electronic fast where I don't use any electronics. And, yes, I am perfectly okay.

Found this HERE

I do however, understand the importance of returning email, vm, texts, etc. I understand that when you leave me a message I should respond in a timely manner. I also understand that if I want to maintain friendships, relationships, etc that I need to make an effort to use theses shiny modern gadgets to stay in touch. I am not afraid of technology but I do worry about what it is doing to people.

I DARE you to turn off your phone more, to never use it on a date (unless you absolutely need it or for an emergency), to focus more on people rather than multi tasking, to not use your phone in the car (even on your commute), to close your laptop, turn off itunes, take your earphone out, turn off your ipod, turn off the tv, and for go out and live more of you life unplugged!

I love my gadgets, every single one, and don't condone them, but when they become more important than the people using them—that worries me.