Digital Dilemma
By Agnibh Dev Dutta
The technology in our lives can be so helpful; it has literally changed the world. Communication systems are so mind blowing these days that you can be connected with the world 24/7. But this makes me so agitated because it prevents me from concentrating on things fully. What if there is an important email that needs my immediate attention? A text I might have that’s urgent. Is someone calling me and not able to reach me? Have I put my phone on silent by mistake? All these thoughts constantly distract me. It feels like I am forced to be alert, and active all the time. This has become like a phobia or habit, which is too hard to quit and I feel mentally exhausted by constantly trying to control my focus.
Imagine you are very tired. The day has been exhausting, but it is not over yet. You still have some work to do—a report to submit, an assignment to complete, homework or anything. You sit down to do the work. You don’t feel like doing it but you have to. You think, “let’s just see a few updates on Instagram,” “I wonder what’s raging on Twitter,” or “a bit of candy crush or Among Us never hurt anyone.” Then... BAM! You have wasted so much time. Now, you feel even more exhausted than before…. But you still have to do it.
I often visit restaurants alone to spend some time with myself. In these visits, I noticed that I may be lonely, sitting alone and scrolling. The people in the other tables are doing the same, they just have more people at the table. Has the technology made us oblivious to the present, the immediate? Are we doing things for posting later or enjoying them now? Are we not able to control our craving to stay perpetually connected with the world?
Sometimes I feel like I am constantly living in a state where my impulse is telling me to grab my phone whenever I am even remotely bored or where I am not doing anything. Why can I not just be? Technology has made us habituated to a fatty and cheesy ready-made diet of stimulation. So, whenever we are not getting any stimulation from the external environment, we try to seek it in our phones, our laptops, social media, or online shopping. Whenever I used to travel by train as a child, I would just look out the window and still be entertained. Now, I continuously scroll through my phone feeling agitated and bored. If the battery dies, I feel like I lost an organ. My habit seems to have converted into dependency and that is the problem. It is ok if I use technology, but if I begin to crave it when it is not essential, something is wrong. This is something we all should think about.
