You want us to do WHAT???
“So we’re going to do a two day technology fast where you’ve no access to your phones or the internet,” declared the lecturer. Some of my fellow students gasped at the notion. It seemed like a fate more terrible than any of the gruesome deaths thought up in the Saw movies. I was admittedly a little apprehensive too. The thought of doing assignments without my brains best friend Google seemed daunting. On the other hand the idea of a technology fast took me back to a very interesting 6 week period in 2009 when my brother and I isolated ourselves from the vast network of the Western world’s communication network.
No phone, no Google, no Face book = good times
The story begins in Auckland international airport. I wake up strewn across some chairs, still a little worse for wear from my farewell party that only ended two hours previous. I took one last look at my phone, my flight departed in 30 mins and I hadn’t even checked in. I left the phone there, knowing it was useless where I was going. I feared the worst as I tried to compose myself for check in. I was already thinking ahead to how I would contact my brother to tell him I’d missed my flight! We were to meet in Hong Kong Airport in a specified location at a certain time. He had arrived from Dublin the day before and I was to meet him. My thoughts drifted to how I could inform him I would be coming on a different flight, I couldn’t ring him anyway his phone didn’t work in China nor did mine. Astonishingly though, and for this reason I implore you all to fly Quantas, they got me through check in, security and on board in 20 mins flat. Relief, plan sailing from here! I arrive in Hong Kong and go to the rendezvous just in time. Two hours later and no sign of my brother and my thoughts start to drift back to how I contact him. I settle on finding a pay phone (yes they still exist) to phone home and find out if they know any details about the hotel I’m supposed to be staying in. Just then he arrives. At this stage I’ve come to realise that we don’t make very good plans these days. Details like the hotel don’t seem important anymore because I can find out at the touch of a button. Well let me tell you when that Swiss Army Phone is taken away, you better hope you’ve made proper arrangements.
The four days in Hong Kong although phoneless allowed access to Face book and Google so we didn’t really feel cut off. However once we crossed into the mainland where none of our familiar internet services are permitted, we truly were cut off. It was 5 weeks of pure freedom. Even if we wanted to contact someone or the other way around we couldn’t. After a couple of days we didn’t even notice, it was great to be so free. I realised through that experience that although these technologies have made life easier, we have become too dependent on them.
The Technology fast this year
This year’s technology fast wasn’t so adventurous but nevertheless I learned something. I was among several of the class competing in the IHI competition. Phones were not permitted and the internet was strictly for research purposes. To be honest it was easy, I didn’t miss the phone or social media, mainly because I didn’t have time to! On the other hand I missed my phone a lot more as a watch and alarm clock than anything else. It just makes me wonder if I need it at all.
Check out the link below for some other thoughts on “why I don’t have a mobile.” It’ll make you wonder about some of the pointless things we all do just because we have that needy toy in our pocket!
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