Concerns about the harmful effects of the internet on our brain are something that has caught the attention of the public. With the advancement in technology, clicking on any screen or opening any print publication increases our chances of finding things stating how constant connectivity is fracturing our attention and addicting us to a steady stream of inputs that are interfering with our human contacts and destroying our abilities to focus of life profoundly. Currently, we are living through an age of disruption that is primarily driven by digital technology. Every corner of our existence from personal to political constitutes profound changes that are brought by digital technology. William Powers, a former staff writer at the Washington Post who focused on media and technology become alarmed at how the ever omnipresent tug of smartphones and other technological devices were affecting his family life . Powers, therefore, wrote Hamlet’s Blackberry as an extended meditation on what digital maximalism is doing to the human race and what can be done to regain control of our lives.
According to Powers digital maximalism concept, connecting via the screens is good, and the more you connect, the better. The goal of this concept is to maximize screen time. Even though few individuals have decided that this is a wise approach to life, people still seemingly plug-in more that is needed. However, the answer to this dilemma lays in Powers arguments on digital maximalism.
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Strengths of Powers argument
William Powers states that connecting with one another enhances life on many levels, and therefore we can conclude that every individual should be as connected all the time as much as possible. This is where Powers discusses the advantages of digital connectedness. Powers, thus, states that the internet is beneficial as it allows people to accomplish their routine tasks in a much quicker and more straightforward manner. Additionally, it will enable every individual to nurture his or her mind, heart and souls at the same time. In his argument, Powers clarifies that "There is a no-brainer in this highly competitive digital world since speed and efficiency are the names of the game.” I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment since from an early age we are taught that productivity is the best method of securing success in the “real world.” Thus, if becoming increasingly connected to the variety of technologies that are available is the best method of reaching this end, then it is best if we become connected.
Consequently, Powers states that “It is no exaggeration to say that, at their best, digital devices produce the kinds of moments that make life rewarding and worth living.” Any person who has ever written an e-mail straight from his or her heart or even watched a video that he or she cannot stop thinking about knows the truth of this suggestion. If an individual can refrain from pessimism by believing that these rewarding moments are achievable without the assistance of digital devices, then it is agreeable to appreciate this position that Powers is trying to bring forth. I myself have had similar experiences of heartfelt emails and unforgettable videos.
Last year on 12 May, my sister welcomed a beautiful bouncing baby girl into the world and my mother who was admitted to the hospital at that time was not available to witness this particular happy moment. However, I took pictures of my little niece and sent them to my mother who was lying in a hospital bed. I, therefore, can unequivocally state that experiences such as this would never have been possible without digital devices. Thus, I agree with Powers position which indicates that "It is good to be connected, and it is bad to be disconnected."
Weaknesses of Powers argument
However, on the other hand, Powers suggest two ways that prove that digital life is disadvantageous. Powers, therefore, describe that the digital devices that we use have trained us "To treat our time and our attention as infinitely divisible commodities." In light of this statement, it is without a doubt that the desire of human beings to keep searching for new information is one of the factors that affect our daily non-digital lives. Therefore, we as individuals begin to lose the ability to tolerate three minutes involving a clear focus.
Moreover, Powers by stating that, "The more we connect, the more our thoughts lean outward," he suggests that people predominantly preoccupy themselves with what is going on "out there" than with what is going on "in here" with both themselves and those around them. As an individual, I agree with this concept for is witness this in my everyday life. When people connect all the time to everyone and everything around them they feel the obligation the obligation to reach out and touch the whole world. As such, this is a responsibility that every individual out there has taken on freely.
In short, this digital busyness that human beings indulge in constitutes the enemy of depth. Powers, therefore, discusses the importance of wisdom and the reason why it is so sad that as a society, we have chosen digital busyness over depth. In his explanation, depth is the moments that we treasure forever, and there constitute wholeness and substance. By giving more importance to digital devices, we are losing something of great value since depth is the one factor that makes life fulfilling and meaningful. People are allowing digital busyness to take over their lives since they have been mesmerized by flashing lights, the promises of connectivity to the rest of the world and interactive apps. Every individual wants to know that their lives are not wasted and mean something. Although these digital devices may bring us instant stardom, without depth, these experiences hold no meaning.
How technology means for my educational history, current circumstances and future plans
Through the reading of Hamlet's Blackberry, my eyes have been opened to the real problem that I experience in my life: digital maximalism. Often, I wonder how I can enjoy anything when most times I am connected to everything. As such, I must pose here to chuckle at the irony in this statement while sitting in my new laptop typing away while searching in William Powers website for any glimpse into the man I could not garner from the novel. The complete control over my life by digital devices ultimately was never more evident than a few years ago. I too had a similar experience to Powers story of falling into the water while trying to untie the rope from his propeller. However, mine was an “iPad meets its untimely demise by water” incident. At one time, I was driving my mother pontoon, which was almost collapsing to the closest boat launch to remove it from the water to repair. However, as I neared the launch, the boat’s throttle got stuck, thus sending me on a collision course with the water’s cement retaining wall. Without waiting to think of the consequences, I turned the motor off and jumped into the water to stop the boat from receiving further damages. Later, I was able to get the pontoon safe to the dock free of any harm. However, as I climbed into the boat, I suddenly realized that my iPad was in my waist bag, which was not even waterproof. The only thing I could think of at that time was the pound of information that I had just lost, all of my contacts (was so disheartening for I had a habit of not memorizing phone numbers), lesson plans, Calendar, pictures and many others. The degree of panic that I remembered feeling that day is still with till me today. It is unforgettable.
A complete opposite of this incident that I remember occurred at a time I travel to our family cap in the woods for weeks at a time in the early 1990s without any connection to the outside world besides visits by my grandparents. While thinking of these visits, it is unavoidable to think of Powers words, "When it comes to creating a happy, fulfilling interior life, ‘a movie-in-the-brain' that makes you want to stand up and applaud, one factor matters more than any other: depth." Through these visits, I was able to get small glimpse and connections to the outside world, a factor that provided me with further depth than the digital connectedness that we as human beings experience as we continue living Powers concept of digital maximalism. However, I as an individual, I have begun pinning for these types of experiences while at the same time holding the weight of the world in my pockets.
Stories such as these have helped to frame my educational history as well as the current circumstances that I face; in addition to my future plans I regard to Powers approaches to technology. Before the digital era had begun, every aspect of my life was not defined by the technology involved in it. Often, I tell my friends that there existed a time before the invention of cell phones when relatives, siblings, friends, and parents had to call each other from landline phones. The digital boom that we see today ultimately began to gain footing at the time I was in the hostels during my undergraduate years. Both these stories show the contrast between the younger version of me (without technology at camp) and the adult me (iPad in the water), and how my outlook towards the technology that surrounds me has changed. Life has been greatly overwhelming for me being that I have realized that have been living my life as a digital maximalist unknowingly for some time. Thus I have agreed that digital connectedness is both worthy of our praises even though it is damaging to our lives. Like the Google CEO Eric Schmidt, I too wish to live a life with a balanced approach to digital connectedness. I have decided that my future will have a proper balance existing between connecting and disconnecting. By its definition, digital maximalism is not an ideal approach. However, if we can create an effective balance between connecting and disconnecting, we then can reap all the benefits that our digital devices have to offer.
