Week 4 Post #3
Technology: Hold 'em or Fold 'em?
My mom used to sing us this old song by Kenny Rogers called "The Gambler". The words of the chorus still come to my mind from time to time.
"You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run."
I've been thinking about technology use lately and how it affects our day to day life. I was just reading Lauren's blog post on putting down our phones. Why is it so hard? For me I justify my phone use because it has everything. Canvas for the classes I take, Canvas for the classes I teach, teams chat for job #1, Zoom chat for job #2, email for all of the above, budgeting apps, grocery apps, kid apps, texting, camera, etc. It feels like I can never get away from my phone. Then good old Kenny Rogers comes into my mind. Is it time to hold 'em or fold 'em? Is it time to walk away or run? Every day we are surrounded with countless opportunities to "connect" or to be online. When do we need to disconnect? How do we develop the mindset, self-perception, and self-control to know when it's time to walk away for a little while. In my opinion, technology isn't going anywhere. It's a necessary part of our lives now. I guess we just need to figure out what we are going to hold and what we are going to fold. It's impossible to keep up with everything online. And if we do, our lives might suffer. I guess it comes down to personal circumstances and personal decisions. Thoughts?
Wow! I see where the blog name comes from! My head is spinning just thinking about all those hats you wear. It's kind of ironic - In some ways, I feel that I use my phone to disconnect, but that's when I'm playing games or listening to a book more than scrolling social media and blogs.
ReplyDeleteI'm really an overthinker! I am glad you can use your phone to disconnect in those ways!
DeleteGreat points! My in-laws used to live in the National Radio Quiet Zone, where cell phone signals and even wireless internet are ostensibly illegal. When we would visit, I would tuck my cell phone away in my suitcase and not get it out again until we left. It was like a forced retreat from all things digital. Besides getting to see family, that was one of my favorite aspects of visiting my in-laws before they moved!
ReplyDeleteWow! That's crazy! I bet that was a cool experience.
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