Off? Yes. Yes I do.
It’s both a gift and a
curse nowadays that most phone companies have enforced a must-have-data plan
with all smartphones because it only encourages the robotic aspect of being
technologically addicted. And worse than that, these technological social
networking sites only encourage instant gratification, which if you’re aware
enough, you’ll realize is not always readily available or a commonality. But
we’re raised in it. We watch a television show and in 30-60 minutes we see the
beginning, middle and happy end. Our minds have now rationalized the idea that
all things in life can be solved with such simplicity and speed…like drive thrus.
They cannot.
We have Twitter, which
teaches people the shorthand to the shorthand in language. All things must be
said in 140 mere characters or less. What can be expressed there? But people
are slicing apart their ideas and words just to fit it into that miniscule box.
I guess it has its pros with being a good use of shortened links and
announcements? Still, something about it irritates me. Maybe the fact that when
I want to share an idea or a quote IT NEVER FITS? Life cannot be constrained to
a mere 140 characters! Yet the newer generation is devolving into one that can
only function on small things at a time. No more vast abilities.
And there is the ever so
infamous Facebook. Ah Facebook! How you’ve absolutely revolutionized not only
humanity, but life itself. People can no longer simply smile for a photo.
People now pose with the curiosity of whether or not this photo could be new
the profile picture or cover photo. And if so, how many Likes can it obtain? People
base their worth on how many “Likes” or comments come through—how many red
notifications are numbered at the top of that blue and white page. God forbid
you ever log in and find none!
And with Facebook the
changes never cease, which only makes people want the newer things in life—just
like Apple—and honestly less patient. And here is where my purpose comes in:
I’m not always on
Facebook. I don’t always check to see if I have notifications. I’m not always
on my phone—texting, calling, Tweeting, commenting, Liking, Instagraming, etc.
Sometimes I live my life. Alone. With my family. With friends. With nature. But
I think people have forgotten that that exists. Or maybe they don’t think that
I still live in that life. Just me. Because miraculously, no one else has
complained of this except me. At least none that I have heard of yet.
I have sent my fair share
of emails, texts, FB messages/posts and personal tweets that either go
unanswered (till today) or are responded to anywhere between 72 hours to nine
days later. Never have I harassed anyone whatsoever about the delayed response
UNLESS it was an absolute emergency, like a paper deadline or proposal due
date. But if it were anything else, I hit send and never held my breath. People
don’t always respect other’s time and therefore I know not to wait. However,
with me, if I ever ever ever, let 45 seconds pass without instantly responding
to someone’s Tweet, email, text, Facebook message, Facebook comment/Like, I
never hear the end of it. Ever!
Seriously? What the hell
people? Excuse my hell usage, but really what the hell? Does it not occur to
the people who text me at midnight that maybe I crashed and am already in bed?
Does it not occur to people that maybe my phone is off? That I’m in the shower?
That I’m downstairs while I “accidentally” forgot my phone upstairs (and I put
accidentally in quotes because no where in life does it state that one must be
physically attached to phone at all times—but leave it to the future to create
a waterproof one to keep with you in the shower or pool. No more iPhone water
damage huh?). What if I was in a meeting? Talking with another human being who
values personal interaction as much as I do? (I’m trying my utmost best to
avoid ever taking out my phone during a face to face conversation unless I need
to). In class? Driving! Need I go on? We all have things to do!
Oh and hey Facebook, I
applaud your great idiocy with the implementation of that damn “Check
Mark-Seen-Time Stamp” that appears beneath every freaking Facebook message that
was opened. What if I accidentally clicked it but didn’t actually read it? Now
the sender is flipping out and cursing me under his/her breath, wondering why
on earth I didn’t respond immediately. Buddy, chill, I have a touch screen
phone that sometimes thinks I touched one link when I meant to touch another.
Pardon me for wanting to give your message my highest respect and respond
properly in ten minutes when I’m absolutely free! The ironic flipside here is
the possibility that this person could also wonder why that “Check
Mark-Seen-Time Stamp” has not appeared and why I have not already opened their
message. You know, because I only live for them right?
My policy is work towards
responding within 24 hours. Maybe a little less with text messages. But I mean
really, if you texted at 6:00PM and I didn’t get out of class till 10:00PM
(which is what life in grad school looked like people) how much evil jinxes did
you already send my way for not responding? I can’t deal with this useless
drama. Really. Life has already got a heavy load of hard things to deal with as
it is. Why make it harder for others? Why harass me with more texts and emails
asking me why I didn’t respond ten seconds ago? Why I’m ignoring you? If I got
your email five minutes ago? Look with today’s technology, you no longer need
to worry if something arrived or not. It usually bounces back (even with texts
now) if it didn’t go through.
It’s just tiring to sit
and begin worrying about everyone’s feelings on such a miniscule and ridiculous
matter. To try with your utmost best to make me feel so guilty, when these same
people have gone days without calling me or emailing me back on matters far
more significant than, “Why didn’t you comment under my new picture?” It frightens
me because we are all adults…or so I thought. But can we start taking time to
breathe and realize that there is something called personal space? A life
offline? That people are really not born with a phone attached? With the
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram apps already downloaded into their mental systems?
We are human and I intend to remember that aspect as often as possible.
So the sensitive ones may
read this and take it personally. I recommend you don’t. I’m being honest and
sincere. You are…well…suffocating me. You want to message me constantly? Fine.
But don’t use those extreme numbers of messages to ask me why I’m not
responding to the one before. Or to your text. Or your email. I promise I will
when I get to it. And if, god forbid, I didn’t immediately click “Like” to your
new profile picture, your check-in, or your status, please forgive me. There
may be a chance that I won’t “Like” it. I’m saving my thumb’s energy for other
typing matters.
We really do have to
change that dysfunctional mentality of valuing ourselves based on our
technological popularity. Social networks only go so far. And I plan on only
meeting them halfway.
