“I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not know.”
― Epicurus
ipse se nihil scire id unum sciat
I am me. I am nobody. Glance at the uniform resource locator.
In today's integrated world of computer chips, laser scanners, and light-speed communication, I think that we often forget about the importance of interacting with the physical world surrounding us. Lost in the complexity of our mass-marketed technology, we float through life in a dream-like state, maintaining our social relationships as our relationship with the real fades into an obsequious, timorous, go-with-the-flow flurry of physical activity devoid of legitimate human contact. Reliant on our devices and platforms to keep us updated on what the media has deemed important and to keep us entertained, we refuse to see that technology can either empower or destroy, even on a micro-social scale. NASA sent a man to Earth's moon with less computing power than your iPhone can muster, and you sit here catapaulting birds? You use Twitter to avoid talking to the guy next to you in line in the coffee shop? Ask yourself this question: Do you use your practically unlimited access to the accrued knowledge of mankind to cheat your way through school, life, and time? Make no mistake, technology can empower. But by using it as a crutch, you can only marginalize yourself.
This was an extremely strong way to start your blog. Not only was this a very deep and insightful post but it really showed a lot about your character. I liked the beginning quote a lot because it had my brain working quickly to figure it out and made me want to read the rest of your post. At first I wasn't completely agreeing with your decision to say we are all floating through life in a dream-like state, but the way you used real life examples that we can all relate to is what convinced me. I think a very large portion, if not every one of us, are guilty of "using [our phones] as a crutch." Wether you're ignoring your professor, parent, sibling, friend, or random stranger, many of us have to admit that we have taken out our phones to make situations less awkward and attempt to make the ignoring a little more subtle. You make very good points and this post was very interesting, i enjoyed reading it.
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