As I was trying to think of the perfect intro to this blog I figured I would list the number of times that I have used my smart phone or check Facebook. Reality is that it is a big enough number that I can’t think of what it is. And I suppose that each of those times I was wishing I wasn’t really using them.
All of this led me to wonder what a life of digital-less-ness would be like. I picture it as this: I sell my smart phone and downgrade my plan to simple dumbphone plan with 500 text messages a month. It would also involve deleting my Facebook profile. Now on to the consequences of both…
Dumping the phone:
I suppose that this one wouldn’t be too bad. The main thing that I use it for is Google Maps, which has been an life-saver in more than one instance but I suppose that a real map would work and I could even bust out my old GPS unit if need be. A lot of the other things that I use if for could be done on my laptop. The biggest thing of getting rid of it is the convenience factor as I have really starting using my laptop considerably less since I have owned my laptop.
Dumping the Book of Faces:
This one would most interesting. I can say without a doubt that all of the people that are on my Facebook profile are people that I know personally. I will admit though, a lot of them are outside of the family and mission realm but it is nice to be able to talk to them once in a while and see what is happening in their life. Getting rid of the family and mission people would be hard because Facebook is the only way of communication that I have with a lot of them and if I get rid of it, it is all gone.
So yeah, it wouldn’t be the easiest thing to get rid of my phone and Facebook but I kind of want to do it. To experience what it is like to be “disconnected” in a place where it is so intertwined with daily life. Sure, I did it on my mission and in China, but those circumstances never really presented any reason to be connected.
So here I am, contimplating digital suicide. Would it be worth it? What are your thoughts?