knighton

Perpetual Availability

Jan 22, 2009

Several of my colleagues are going on a trip next week - it's a nice prize for top performers. Anyway, the current office discussion is the addition of data plans and international calling plans to their phones. Costs a bit more, but if you plan to use your phone out of the country, it'll save you a bundle on international fees. This I know is true.

And my past experience was relied upon to verify the total cost savings of enrolling in those plans for a month or so. Unfortunately, no one wanted my real advice. Which is this:

Turn off your phone. Leave it at home. Put it in airplane mode. Disconnect.

"But, then I wouldn't know what to do."

I wonder, what is this addiction to perpetual availability? Why do we need always to be reachable? Are we so bored with ourselves, the people around us, and our surroundings, that we'd rather be talking to or texting someone else? Have we lost the ability to simply be?

Is it just easier to use the electronics than to engage in real, honest conversations and experiences? What does it say about who we are as a society? As individuals?