Technology is revolutionizing our globalized world. Think about your life from the moment that you wake up until the moment that your head hits the pillow.
How much of an influence does technology have in your life?
I never feel addicted to technology. If I leave my phone at home, I get this almost relieved feeling because I don’t have to think about anything disrupting my day. I use technology a lot though. And even if I don’t feel addicted to it, it is not always until you really unplug for a little while.
Earlier this semester, I took a trip down to attend a funeral in Kansas. Now, about half of my family in Kansas is Amish and the other half is Mennonite. Time spent with these wonderful people is always meaningful. The ones with phones seldom touch them more than a handful of times throughout the day, and only to make afternoon or dinner plans.
Life just seems to go slower there. Everyone is more relaxed, taking time for people and really enjoying conversations.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate technology. It can be difficult sometimes to try to send a message to traveling Amish couples who are taking the train across the country and don’t have a phone to communicate. Those dinner plans would be difficult to make without the small use technology.
The TEDTalk that discusses leaving the internet for a year also draws some of the same conclusions. He explains how he needed a break from the internet but he also was able to use technology to connect with his family in another state.
Technology is not necessarily a bad thing from my experiences as well as the experiences detailed in the TEDTalk, but like just about anything, they can be used for positive or negative things. It really is how you use technology that makes the difference in what your relationship with technology looks like.
Be mindful of your internet use this week. How much time do you spend looking at a screen vs. talking to people face to face? Detail whether or not your technology use helps or hinders your relationships with people online and in real life. Is technology a good thing or a bad thing? How can we use technology mindfully to bring about positive relationships with others?
I will take notes too this week and I look forward to hearing from you in the comment section!
Think Wild(ly) 
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