Skip to main content

Mobile dependant in Prague.


I came to a very sad realisation this past weekend whilst visiting Prague. I am one of them. One of those who feel the need to post what's happening over social media. One of those who wants to put the location filter on snapchat so someone can see what city I am visiting. I think this is sad. 

My phone broke on Saturday, the same day I left for Prague. I tried checking it every 10 minutes to see if the screen was improving but it was indeed just getting worse. I depended on my friends phone to let mumma know I was safe and sound, and kept up to date with my messages and friends by the computer available at the hostel. This was weird. 

This feeling of dependency on a machine that does nothing but encourage antisocial behaviour gave me an idea. I wanted to try and not use social media for the month of November, this idea soon vanished when I realised I wouldn't have a phone until around the 12th of November, so instead I decided to only stick with Facebook and use neither Whatsapp (because i physically can't), Spapchat or Instagram. For one WHOLE month. I'll let you know how that goes...

However it did make me breathe Prague in with whole other attitude. I could have repaired my phone while in the city and at the beginning I wanted to but then the thought of having this constantly beeping device on me suddenly put me off the idea. I am so grateful it broke that weekend. I mean I didn't want it to break but kind of glad it did.

On out last day in Prague we had a nice brunch, we relaxed and got over the hangovers and loss of sleep we had experienced the pass few days. We drank lemonade and hydrated. Not having my phone going off every 10 minutes was a liberating feeling. We crossed the Charles Bridge later that day and 9 out 10 people, because I can't say 9 and a half, were on there phones, snapping, taking pics, messaging and other. I noticed the way the water moved, the direction the wind was blowing, the amount of glass windows the castle had in the background, the different shades of pink the sunset was creating, the people in the tiny boat houses along the river banks, the colour of the lighting in all the buildings around us, little things I otherwise would not have noticed. 

We have become too accustomed and rely on technology and the Internet instead of learning the practical knowledge of everyday life. What will your phone teach you about a life and death situation? How will an app help you get out of being eaten by a bear. Oh wait, I can imagine it. You're standing in the woods somewhere and a giant grizzly bear approaches, your nerves don't allow you to type anything on Internet. But you can snapchat it. You can get the 5 second footage or quickly ask Siri how to get out of it. Oh no, it's too late. You just got eaten by a bear. Or think of the increasingly known cases of selfie deaths. They don't care they could very well die by taking that selfie on a rock somewhere I don't know how high above sea level. It's cool right? Is it really?

I am all for technology advances and innovating but what happened to the days where phones were for texting and calling only? and playing that snake game on the old nokias. What happened to the terrible photos the disposable camera produced? I miss it. I encourage you all to try and take a break from social media, from the unnecessary apps we have become far too accustomed to. To use a paper map and not GoogleMaps, to use the calling option instead of sending an empty WhatsApp with a few emojis, to not take pictures but try and mentally take in all your surroundings, to laugh with each other and not feel the need for the rest of your so called friends to see. You know that over 50% of the people you have on your social media accounts aren't actually friends. A friend of mine deleted Instagram this weekend because she learned it wasn't good for her right now. Do the same. Give yourselves a chance to see things in a different way. Take a break from all this digitalisation and decrease the amount of hours you spend on your phone. You might just decrease your chance of a brain tumour too. So it is worth a shot. Go anti-social media for November. 

Btw, Prague was amazing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is technology doing to us socially?

This isn't an infrequent topic to read about in recent years, but it is definitely something I consider relevant to most and necessary to point out. 'What would happen if the titanic happened now?' This is also a question that many have posted on their networks, think about it. This image is probably the best reflexion or answer to the question. I am 90% sure most would be trying to take a snap of what was happening and make it trending topic! We are living in a time where people find it easier to socialise virtually than in real life, I must admit I for one have an account on many social networks, and use them frequently, I do not however consider myself to be addicted to them. I do not feel I need to check them every 10 seconds, but use them mainly when I am bored. A few days ago, I went out with some friends for a night out and there was a moment, or a few, where everyone was on their mobile, whether it was checking Instagram, Snapchat or their messages I d...
Post a Comment
Read more

Who's the strange one?

I'm a very curious person, the sort of person who, if interested in something, will research every last details of this. Next week is the deadline for 'erasmus' applications to study a term (or more) abroad and I have found myself surrounded by people asking me all about it. I seem to be the only person with a basic knowledge on the subject in my circle of friends. As me and some friends have been preparing a presentation for one of my university subjects, we have been talking about 'known' bloggers here in Spain, I am supposed to give examples in my presentation and my friends have given me loads of names of people with 'funny' blogs or 'funny you-tubers', when I told them I had no idea who any of these people are they were shocked. They may know everything about insignificant matters such as funny videos but at the end of the day none of them have a clue about what they are actually interested in, for example, studying abroad. Some say I take...
1 comment
Read more

It's not what you know, it's WHO you know.

I realise I only just posted yesterday, and never post this frequently but writing is the only way I seem to get anything off my mind lately. I have also realised how much I admire someone who knows what they are doing with their lives... I'm twenty one and have no clue what I actually want to do. How do you know? How can you choose one thing to dedicate yourself to for the rest of your life? When does it become clear what your 'calling' is? I have been told I don't know how many times that it's never too late for anything, but maybe it is. The thought of actually getting to where you want at the age of thirty terrifies me. As you know, it's finals time and everyone is at the library cramming as much in as possible. I was there the other day thinking how many of you are studying what you really want to study? How many of you are doing because your parents or someone else has made you? How many of you are actually going to give 100% to that future jo...
Post a Comment
Read more