| Posted in Technology on 17 Jun 2014 |
|
‘Put down your phone and take a break' they say, ‘it'll be fun' they say… Be careful, don't do it!
What's the obsession with this modern fulfillment for a ‘tech detox' anyway? Maybe that's what's actually hazardous for our health.
Desperate (AND dateless)
People take ‘tech detoxes' to get out there and meet others, to socialise. But isn't that what technology does anyway but on an even greater scale? First it brought lonely nerds together and then followed geeks, gamers, singles and the rest of the world followed in that general order.
Technology has given us the ability to make targeted friends with real common interests. Remove the evolution of tech, and making new friends becomes convoluted. The same goes for successful procreation.
Shopping for everything
Speaking of being exhausted, how can you be tired of tech when the couch can become a comprehensive shopping outing? Imagine if all retail experiences felt like a claustrophobic shopping center on a busy Christmas Eve. That's how many Gen X'ers explain shopping before tech. If you're looking for more time then you need more tech – not less.
No sense of direction
Let's face it; tech gives us the ability to see what everyone else on earth is doing in life. It helps us understand our place in the world and what we really want to achieve. No tech means no ability to research our dream career, or no way of figuring out that we really need to move to LA to become a rich and famous TV star. No tech, no hope.
Health anxiety
People say you shouldn't turn to Dr Google to self-diagnose. But what if Dr Google just happened to have the answer to that mysterious rash or could help you map out the nearest hospital when you're in desperate need?
No access to this kind of information can make people feel anxious and could be the difference between life or death. What's worse than too much information? No information at all. Thank you Dr Google for your extensive image search – you're doing the health system a real favour.
Our DIY misconception
Technology is accused of breeding young adults, who are missing a ‘hands on' gene. If that's so, then why is one of the most searched phrases, ‘how do I?' That's proof people haven't really changed. They're just doing things differently. ‘Read a book' they said, ‘you might learn something' they said. It's no wonder this doesn't resonate. Why learn, when you have ‘how do I?' searches at your fingertips.
Being absorbed in technology means you have more time to simply enjoy the things you love.
Australia was recently rated the world's fourth most expensive country to live in by the International Comparison Program. The “Lucky Country” now only trails Bermuda, Norway and Switzerland as the costliest place for your finances, well ahead of the United Kingdom and even Japan.
I knew a couple once that spent $50,000 on their wedding day. They booked the biggest Cathedral they could find but due to its immense size were unable to even come close to filling it. The silence as the bride slowly walked down the aisle with no one around her was deafening.
First of all, let us congratulate you – if you're reading this then you're considering a man cave, which puts you in the top percentile of lucky men. But how carefully are you considering your options? A man cave is not to be taken lightly.
