Life is filled with...

Distractions #2

“The most obvious drawback of social media is that they are aggressive distractions.” Bill Keller

Everyday life is filled with distractions, none quite so demanding as our cell phones and social media sites. In my book group last night we were chatting over dinner about the rapid rise of cell phone and tablet use in the lives of ordinary people, even, or perhaps especially, children. One member, a first grade teacher, told us about a child in her class whose mother comes to school every day at lunchtime to bring her iPad so her son can play games during lunch. Whatever happened to free play time? I hate to do the old “when I was a kid” routine, but I remember playing records and dancing after lunch. And even the boys danced! Now that is truly social media.

We talked about how dependent, to the point of addiction, we are with our cell phones these days. One woman said that when she realizes she's left home without her phone, she feels absolutely naked, and will turn around and go back for it. Our cell phones have replaced our security blankets. And no amount of warning about distracted driving keeps us from talking on them in the car. One advertisement on television right now, shows the list of options on the screen in a new car—Email, Facebook, Twitter...Now how in the world could you drive the car and post on any of these at the same time? Thank goodness we're soon to have driver-less cars—at least our roads will be safer.

I have watched people walking down the street with eyes glued to their phones, oblivious to the flesh and blood human beings they pass. And we have the extreme example of the man who was shot dead in a theater just last week because he was tweeting on his phone during a movie to the utter distraction of the people around him. I have seen people sitting in worship service, phone in hand, texting away, or holding a baby in one arm, while the other hand is punching buttons on a cell phone. How crazy is that?

No life is without distractions, but we could declare a holiday from some of them. We could, for instance, silence or turn off our cell phones for certain hours of the day. We could declare media-free zones in our homes and in our classrooms. We could withdraw ourselves from the obsessive checking of social media sites for at least four hours a day. We could learn how to be alone and creative, or engaged with others face to face, without the distraction of electronics. We could give time to nurturing our spirits with music, reading, meditation or prayer. We could find balance in real human contact.

                                           In the Spirit,

                                               Jane