Sometimes I wish that for a week, just a week, I could freeze all of my responsibilities and have to do N O T H I N G. Knowing myself, I probably wouldn't be able to go more than a day without feeling unproductive, but still, I'd love to see what I'd do with my time if I had to do nothing.
One thing I know I wouldn't do is spend more time on my computer, I spend enough time on it already. It's crazy to think how we've become so attached to technology. Most people would say that they can't live without their laptops. Why? Because "it has their entire life in it".
We've tried to become more efficient, and we've done so by creating technology. But I've come to realize, that to a certain extent, this technology is drifting us away from the beauty of nature, the beauty of going outdoors, the beauty of taking a walk, and engaging in a meaningful conversation without having the need to check our phones every 5 minutes.
Although it's very easily said, it's not as easily done, especially if you are a junior in high school; your laptop is pretty much your life, and that's the sad truth.
We've been bound by the belief that the only times we're learning or working is when we're in front of our computers. But can't learning be engaging in a deep reflection or meaningful conversation?
Today in the IA we had an amazing discussion of Chapter 12 of Naked Economics. Despite everyone being completely engaged in the conversation, I can guarantee you that at least three people thought we were "wasting our time". Why? Because we weren't working in front of our computers.
Today, I'd like to argue differently. Yes, I believe technology can make us more efficient in several ways, but they shouldn't be the only way of approaching learning, and our lives shouldn't depend on them. We should get the opportunity to go OUTSIDE and LEARN FROM THE WORLD, learn from experts on the field. And if we do spend a day on the computer in class, the expectation shouldn't be that we go home and spend more time on our computers--unless that's something we absolutely love to do (like Pedrito!).
What frustrates me most about all of this is that we aren't given much of a choice. We can't just decide to stop using our laptops because that would entail not handing in a lot of our work. Spending time on our computers is more of a requirement today than it is a choice.
I actually feel pretty lucky, because although people my age are victims of this technological era, most of us are aware of what it's doing to us. I feel that younger generations, on the other hand, don't always see the consequence of being technologically active all the time.
During the discussion, Andrea told us how her sister answers her snapchat faster than she answers someone calling her name. And about two months ago, when I was in my grandma's beach house with my cousins, I woke up one morning to find all four of my little cousins sitting down in the living room, each with an iPad in their hand. It was already 11 am, and instead of playing on the beach, building a sandcastle, or swimming in the 1 km long pool that was just footsteps away (which is what I would have killed to do at that age), my cousins were doing something they could on any other regular day.
One thing I know is that in the future I'm going work someplace that allows me to
E N G A G E with other people and nature. I don't want to have to say "my life is in that computer", I want to be able to say "my life is in everything that surrounds me".
I am about 99% sure that right now, your sitting down reading my blog. So do me a small favor, close your laptop, computer, iPad--whatever it is your reading this from--and go out there and do whatever it is you love to do.
One thing I know I wouldn't do is spend more time on my computer, I spend enough time on it already. It's crazy to think how we've become so attached to technology. Most people would say that they can't live without their laptops. Why? Because "it has their entire life in it".
We've tried to become more efficient, and we've done so by creating technology. But I've come to realize, that to a certain extent, this technology is drifting us away from the beauty of nature, the beauty of going outdoors, the beauty of taking a walk, and engaging in a meaningful conversation without having the need to check our phones every 5 minutes.
Although it's very easily said, it's not as easily done, especially if you are a junior in high school; your laptop is pretty much your life, and that's the sad truth.
We've been bound by the belief that the only times we're learning or working is when we're in front of our computers. But can't learning be engaging in a deep reflection or meaningful conversation?
Today in the IA we had an amazing discussion of Chapter 12 of Naked Economics. Despite everyone being completely engaged in the conversation, I can guarantee you that at least three people thought we were "wasting our time". Why? Because we weren't working in front of our computers.
Today, I'd like to argue differently. Yes, I believe technology can make us more efficient in several ways, but they shouldn't be the only way of approaching learning, and our lives shouldn't depend on them. We should get the opportunity to go OUTSIDE and LEARN FROM THE WORLD, learn from experts on the field. And if we do spend a day on the computer in class, the expectation shouldn't be that we go home and spend more time on our computers--unless that's something we absolutely love to do (like Pedrito!).
What frustrates me most about all of this is that we aren't given much of a choice. We can't just decide to stop using our laptops because that would entail not handing in a lot of our work. Spending time on our computers is more of a requirement today than it is a choice.
I actually feel pretty lucky, because although people my age are victims of this technological era, most of us are aware of what it's doing to us. I feel that younger generations, on the other hand, don't always see the consequence of being technologically active all the time.
During the discussion, Andrea told us how her sister answers her snapchat faster than she answers someone calling her name. And about two months ago, when I was in my grandma's beach house with my cousins, I woke up one morning to find all four of my little cousins sitting down in the living room, each with an iPad in their hand. It was already 11 am, and instead of playing on the beach, building a sandcastle, or swimming in the 1 km long pool that was just footsteps away (which is what I would have killed to do at that age), my cousins were doing something they could on any other regular day.
One thing I know is that in the future I'm going work someplace that allows me to
E N G A G E with other people and nature. I don't want to have to say "my life is in that computer", I want to be able to say "my life is in everything that surrounds me".
I am about 99% sure that right now, your sitting down reading my blog. So do me a small favor, close your laptop, computer, iPad--whatever it is your reading this from--and go out there and do whatever it is you love to do.
Be productive with your T I M E,
not your laptop.
not your laptop.