Technology “Fast” Reflection

Allison Brown HP: Mass Media and Collective Consciousness Professor Molina March 19, 2021 Technology “Fast” Reflection In a world that’s entirely remote, going offline isn’t only difficult, it’s jarring. With the pandemic forcing all elements of life to be technological: classes on Zoom, FaceTime calls with friends, exercise courses online, reading the news on your phone, mindfulness and meditation podcasts, hobbies like listening to music, and relaxing while watching your favorite Netflix show. All of these activities that are a part of daily life, some essential and others not, are online. From the moment we wake up in this pandemic reality we check our phones and stay plugged in until the moment we go to bed. For this technology “fast”, I was able to put down all technological devices for nearly thirty-five consecutive hours and found my reaction to the lack of technology both surprising and unsurprising. I started the weekend early Friday afternoon by removing my Apple Watch and closing down my laptop after my last class. Next to go was my phone, which I placed in a drawer in my kitchen, and my Nintendo Switch, a device I bought at the start of the pandemic to play the cult favorite of the time when lockdown started, “Animal Crossing”. After stowing away and closing down all technology, for the first time in a long time, I just kind of stood there. On a normal Friday afternoon, I would be ecstatic about finishing my assignments and not having to work on the weekends and turn on the television while scrolling through my social media apps and playing games. With none of those options available, I decided to go for a walk. I frequently walk during the week as both means of transportation and taking a break from screentime. 1 Without my Airpods or phone to listen to a podcast though or music, I found myself taking a more scenic route and enjoying some of the sounds of the nature surrounding me. When I returned home, I felt refreshed and was exciting to find another activity that didn’t involve a screen. During this period of “fasting”, I took the opportunity to read a book I had been wanting to start for some time, Stacy Abram’s new novel, “The Time is Now”. Not having a screen to distract me finally made me mentally think that I had the time to read. I went to bed that night refreshed and excited for what the rest of this fast could bring. I woke up the next morning and felt for my phone, which wasn’t there. However, I proceeded with my morning routine as usual, albeit with technological devices, and began reading again soon. I finished the novel shortly after lunch and that is when my boredom began to sink in. I felt as though I missed calling with my family and friends and just watching Netflix on the weekend or listening to a podcast while walking. Shortly after lunch, I caved and checked my phone, assuming five minutes wouldn’t hurt, and was met with a Canvas Student notification releasing a study guide for an exam the upcoming week, which immediately sent me to my laptop to begin studying and putting in my Airpods. Through my technological “fast”, as short as it was, I felt an initial rush that surprised me. I was excited to begin the challenge of putting everything down and even finished a book and enjoyed a leisurely walk without technology. Subconsciously though, stress was starting to build stemmed from the anxiety of not being “connected”. I anticipated calls from friends on the weekend that wouldn’t come and worried a news notification could come out and I would be oblivious to what had happened. I was also surprised by how removing my devices from my routine changed my notice of time passing. Physically, without a watch or phone, I wasn’t always near a clock, and mentally, I 2 think that completely tasks without technology made them feel longer in a way, time flies when you’re watching an episode of a show absentmindedly, but really taking time to do something that requires your attention felt longer in a way. I also felt lonely without being able to connect with my family and friends, especially in a global pandemic, connecting with them is something that makes me feel grounded in my relationships and communication that I need. As I discovered in my technology reflection early in the semester, I know that I have a cyclical and at times unhealthy relationship with my technological devices. They’re my work, school, socialization, and hobbies. A statement which I am truly beginning to find troubling. Technology and media interaction right now is a must, I don’t really have the option to turn it off. However, I do think that I could be more conscious of what I consume and when. I immensely enjoyed turning off devices and reading a book and taking a walk, two activities that I could easily incorporate into my weekend routines. It is clear the changing role that technology is taking in our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic in a way functions as an excuse with our lives being “remote” in a way, but communities are changing and becoming more technologically incorporated through virtual Zoom community events and socialization. In no way am I mentioning this as a critique of COVID-19 safety measures, we have to continue to fight this virus by abiding by CDC and safety recommendations until vaccine rollout is complete, but it is interesting to consider how a year plus of online interaction will impact my generation and those before and after me. After a year spent connecting online and tied to our technological devices, it makes one wonder what our interactions will be like when we “return to normal”. Will some events still be held online for some time? Will we continue to rationalize our overabundant media consumption? What will it be like to return to class in person? By fasting for this assignment, I 3 acknowledged my emotions and physical reactions to not having technology for recreation and school-related uses, but in a way, it made me recall the time more than a year ago that events were still in-person and I was on campus and consider what our future of returning to in-person events and communication could look like. 4