Disconnect Paper

On Thursday, I decided to stay away from my phone and my laptop so that I could not access the internet and the online social platforms. I took a moment of contemplation to reflect on all that could be happening while I was offline but I just decided to let go. After some time, I stated becoming curious and with lots of temptation to get back my phone and check all the new informative updates. It hit me that social media and the virtual communities had become part of me and I seemed not to control the urge to check. However, I decided to press on since I had 6 hours period to complete before getting online again. I started thinking about how I become so attached to this media so that I barely go an hour without checking on it, which means I am quite active.  Social media can be very addictive to the extent that it controls someone’s moods and actions considering all the information that one can access in the platform(Baggio.2016:175). It must be a very important source of information for me. On the other hand, I felt that all my extra time searching information from the internet, communicating through online sites or checking on my feeds. For a moment, I thought about how I would have used such time engaging in constructive activities rather than seating down with my laptop or concentrating on the social media. But I missed the frequent communication especially with those people I follow. I missed a channel to share some disconnected thoughts on social media more so on twitter.  At the lowest point, I needed to get back on the social media and read peoples updates, thoughts and news. I thought about how it could be if I never shared my life on such platforms.

Later in the day I got busy and thoughts started to clear on my mind. I did not reach for the computer or the phone but engaged myself in physical activities. I also found myself writing more. To distract myself, I went for a walk instead of flipping through YouTube. For once, I started to experience how life would be without social media or other internet. This small experiment seemed to shed some light on how much we rely on social media. It is usually a cyclical process that at times can lead to self discovery but can also be a distraction to the physical social life (Baggio.2016:175) Disconnecting from the social media or virtual communities highlighted how important they are in providing information and in the communication process. It can also serve as an outlet where people can share depressing information, pass on important details about daily activities to people in far away areas. I also discovered that these platforms are not the problem but how they are used.  However, they can very distractive when one gets attached to them so much so that they are unable to connect physically with others. Privacy and pleasure if not taken seriously can be quite destructive. This technology affects how people interact. It serves as a significant trigger that which occasions various social dynamics. It also serves to explain the role played by technology in regard to mutual interaction among human agents and the technology they are using (Wanda .1992:406).

References

Wanda J.Orlkowski.1992.”The duality of technology: Rethinking the Concept of Technology in Organizations. Organization Science.” 3(3).406

Baggio, Bobbe.2016. Analyzing Digital Discourse and Human Behavior in Modern Virtual Environments. IGI Global.175