Reuters Interview: Thou Shalt Unplug

I'd like to give a big thank you to Jill Serjeant, journalist for Reuters International Newswire, who interviewed me a few weeks ago and included me in her article about the new movement that is sweeping the tech world--the Secular Sabbath.

A little excerpt:

"Sharon Sarmiento knew it was time to unplug when she realized she was blogging in her dreams and hearing imaginary instant messages.    

For Ariel Meadow Stallings, it was the hours lost while surfing the Internet that left her feeling like she had been in a drunken blackout.

Both women are part of a new grass-roots movement in which tech geeks, Internet addicts, BlackBerry thumbers and compulsive IMers are deciding to wrest back control of their lives by daring to switch off -- if only for a day."

Read the rest of the article...

Comments

[Ayn Elise]

Greetings-

I actually read the article as a news feature first. And I would like to say, no it is not just the techies, most of us deal with some form of tech. at work and play with it at home and anywhere else because we have so many platforms available for us to use.
My personal experience is that I have played some kind of game, say on my computer for way too long and then still been able to see playing the game in my head as I am trying to go to sleep later after hours of playing time. And it is like, wow, that is burned right into the " screen " there, now isn't it?
I love tech toys, gadgets, platforms; always have and alway will. But one of my " fears" and kind of a form of a societal pet peeve is that the more technology connects us, the farther apart it really takes us in terms of how genuinely and intimately we are truly connected to each other.
So, " amen to that", in loose terms of the words. Cut the technological umbilical cord and do something else, even for just awhile. And, when possible, while we are at it, try to actually see and talk to some of those friends and family members, in person. Eh?

[Sharon Sarmiento]

Hey Ayn Elise,

Thanks so much for chiming in. Hee hee--yes, you're so right. the digital overload is not just for techies, but for most folks who live with technology.

Yes, and technology lots of times separates us from people, rather than bringing us together. Amen!