Are digital devices taking over our lives?

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Are digital devices taking over our lives?
Kornchanok Raksaseri


Do nothing for 2 minutes

BANGKOK: -- The first message I saw on my Facebook timeline yesterday morning was one from my colleague, saying she was afraid of losing her smartphone.

Yes, Facebook and Twitter is one of the first things I check in the morning - my excuse is that as a journalist I need to keep up with the news. Of course, a lot of people not in the news business also don't want to miss any updates.

However, it might be time to ask ourselves how attached we are to our digital devices and if this attachment might put our lives in danger.

Late last month, the headlines in San Francisco were buzzing about a case where a gun-toting man on a crowded commuter train went unnoticed because everybody was so absorbed in their smart devices - that is until he shot a student who was getting off the train.

This should, perhaps, serve as a lesson and remind us that criminals will take advantage if you are distracted. This obsession with what's going on in cyber space also seeps into our daily life, distracting us from our duties or stopping us from interacting with people in real life.

This obsession probably explains why "digital detox" is fast becoming an emerging trend. Some travel service providers have started promoting retreats and some hotels even offer a discount if guests agree to drop their smart devices off at the reception desk.

In fact, "digital detox" is now listed in the Oxford dictionary, which defines it as "a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices; regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world".

The Bradford Regional Medical Centre in Pennsylvania last month announced that it would accept patients whose lives had gone out of control because they were so "wired up". This programme is perhaps the first of its kind when it comes to accepting patients with such problems.

The Daily Mail quoted Dr Allen Frances, a psychiatrist with the Duke University, saying Internet addiction has yet to be established as a condition, while Santa Clara University psychology professor Thomas Plante told The Denver Post that solid clinical research on tech-induced anxiety is still in its early stages.

Still, he says, all you have to do is look at that person behind the wheel texting at the red light to see firsthand "how we are constantly using our phones to deal with boredom or to get an immediate answer to some trivial question. We've reached a point where it's getting increasingly hard for people to have their mind at quiet."

Perhaps, you might want to stop off at www.donothingfor2minutes.com, or download an app that helps you take a few minutes off. Many of these apps block access to social-media networks or disable the phone.

But wait, do we really need our digital devices to teach us how to take a break? Why don't we just switch things off ourselves and go on a short walk or pick up a "newspaper"?


-- The Nation 2013-10-12

[Yumthai]

Indeed, digital world is clearly becoming a strong addiction for urban people. Moreover, we don't have yet any feedback about intensive use of WiFi affecting our body/mind and uncontrolled online personal data storage.

[tominbkk]

Like my post if your smartphone sleeps in your bed with you

[Dararasmi]

Like my post if your smartphone sleeps in your bed with you

My (smart)phone gets switched off when I hit the sack. Many's the day I forget to switch it back on.

[A1Str8]

Its true. Einstein said, he fears that one day technology will be more important than human relationships and socializing. His fear has become a reality.

[Thaddeus]

Are digital devices taking over our lives?

Not mine, but................

[lomatopo]

Its true. Einstein said, he fears that one day technology will be more important than human relationships and socializing. His fear has become a reality.

Believe this attribution has been debunked.

[ETatBKK]

check out this 25 million-hit video and it says it all !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINa46HeWg8

I forgot my phone

edit : picture added

enjoy it . . .

Edited October 12, 2013 by ETatBKK

[isawasnake]

The problem for me is that people expect me to be like them and be able to be contacted 24/7. It becomes even a bigger problem when people in power like bosses behave in this way.

This is maybe an offshoot topic, but here is my workplace rule, if the world was fair, which it isn't:

• If you want to communicate with me in the workplace, you'll have to pay for the phone and I will have to be on the clock at the time.

Outside of the workplace it is less critical, but the general rule is to not expect me to answer my phone or email at your convenience. I will answer these at my convenience, no sooner or later, if at all.

So, veg out on your devices all you want, just don't let the "problem" and your expectations diffuse into the lives of others.

[prakhonchai nick]

Sitting in a huge restaurant the other night, dozens of people (mainly women of all ages) were totally transfixed to their phones. i-pads or whatever, and totally oblivious of their friends or even the food that was on the table.

Their minds will be messed up within 5 years if not sooner.

Pathetic!. They need to get a life!

[Loptr]

This article is not Thai specific, but proves the point that many people are so absorbed in their gadgets, they pay no attention to what is going on around them.

http://www.officer.com/news/11188777/san-francisco-police-commuters-on-phones-didnt-notice-gun

[ttthailand]

Relaxing in my apartment at this minute with a gf of mine. I am on my iPhone reading Thaivisa and she is on Facebook or some other site..... Sent her a message on Line " good morning" she looks up then back down at her phone... I then receive message " good morning" . Not a word spoken.

OMG .....

Now when they can plant a computer chip into our brains we will not even need to have the smart phone. Just send and receive messages by thinking.... The future of communication ....

[Thaddeus]

The problem for me is that people expect me to be like them and be able to be contacted 24/7. It becomes even a bigger problem when people in power like bosses behave in this way.

To all intents and purposes I dropped off the planet for a few days a while ago, it was wonderful.

(next time, I would prefer to choose when it happens myself though)

[samjaidee]

The rise of phubbing - aka phone snubbing

Practice has spawned an online backlash that has gone global

“While you finish updating your status, we’ll gladly service the polite person behind you.” “No Tweeting, No Facebook, No Instagram, No Foursquare, No Sexting: respect the food, the music and the company you’re in.” These are the posters you can download from the elegant Stop Phubbing website – the online home of a campaign against digitally derived rudeness that has started to go global.

Coined by Alex Haigh, a 23-year-old Melbourne resident, phubbing stands for “phone snubbing”, and describes “the act of snubbing someone in a social setting by looking at your phone instead of paying attention”. Tongues are firmly in cheeks when it comes to some of the stats (“if phubbing were a plague, it would decimate six Chinas”), but the intention behind the campaign is serious enough: to highlight the scourge of glazed faces in public places, text-tapping fingers during supposedly intimate dinners, and reunions that might as well have been held via Google Hangouts given the screen time involved.

When it comes to smartphones, tablets and other mobile delights, many of us have the unfortunate tendency to behave like teenagers: prodding and poking our shiny toy to the exclusion of anyone and anything else. And that’s partly because, so far as mobile tech goes, we are all adolescents. Mass-market smartphones are barely 17 years old; iPhones only six; and iPads just three. Little wonder we’re playing etiquette catchup, or that it has taken a digital native to unlock this particular cabinet of fascination.

<snipped for fair use>

Source here - http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/the-rise-of-phubbing--aka-phone-snubbing-8747229.html

Edited October 12, 2013 by Tywais
Next time only quote part and supply link to source

[Dararasmi]

Relaxing in my apartment at this minute with a gf of mine. I am on my iPhone reading Thaivisa and she is on Facebook or some other site..... Sent her a message on Line " good morning" she looks up then back down at her phone... I then receive message " good morning" . Not a word spoken.

OMG .....

Now when they can plant a computer chip into our brains we will not even need to have the smart phone. Just send and receive messages by thinking.... The future of communication ....

You sure know how to pick 'em.

[somtampet]

I can see the dasy when a couple communicate by smartphone,sitting next to each other.Skills of verbal communication will go,due to the young ones obsession with mobiles.

I was in a steak restaraunt,with my partner,the other night.Withing 10 mins the inside part had 4 westerners come in seperately.Every one got their mobile phones out,then ordered food and kept their head down,messing with their phones all the time they were waiting for food.2 even continued on their phones whilst eating &lt;deleted&gt;.

THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD

[samjaidee]

The rise of phubbing - aka phone snubbing

Practice has spawned an online backlash that has gone global

“While you finish updating your status, we’ll gladly service the polite person behind you.” “No Tweeting, No Facebook, No Instagram, No Foursquare, No Sexting: respect the food, the music and the company you’re in.” These are the posters you can download from the elegant Stop Phubbing website – the online home of a campaign against digitally derived rudeness that has started to go global.

Coined by Alex Haigh, a 23-year-old Melbourne resident, phubbing stands for “phone snubbing”, and describes “the act of snubbing someone in a social setting by looking at your phone instead of paying attention”. Tongues are firmly in cheeks when it comes to some of the stats (“if phubbing were a plague, it would decimate six Chinas”), but the intention behind the campaign is serious enough: to highlight the scourge of glazed faces in public places, text-tapping fingers during supposedly intimate dinners, and reunions that might as well have been held via Google Hangouts given the screen time involved.

When it comes to smartphones, tablets and other mobile delights, many of us have the unfortunate tendency to behave like teenagers: prodding and poking our shiny toy to the exclusion of anyone and anything else. And that’s partly because, so far as mobile tech goes, we are all adolescents. Mass-market smartphones are barely 17 years old; iPhones only six; and iPads just three. Little wonder we’re playing etiquette catchup, or that it has taken a digital native to unlock this particular cabinet of fascination.

<snipped for fair use>

Source here - http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/the-rise-of-phubbing--aka-phone-snubbing-8747229.html

I wasn't aware of the source of this article when I posted it. I was given it as a printed piece of paper which I scanned and OCR'd.

I goes without saying that I would always credit a source if I knew what it was. If I didn't it would be plagiarism and that is unacceptable, even on TV.

[ttthailand]

Relaxing in my apartment at this minute with a gf of mine. I am on my iPhone reading Thaivisa and she is on Facebook or some other site..... Sent her a message on Line " good morning" she looks up then back down at her phone... I then receive message " good morning" . Not a word spoken.

OMG .....

Now when they can plant a computer chip into our brains we will not even need to have the smart phone. Just send and receive messages by thinking.... The future of communication ....

You sure know how to pick 'em.

I am just as much at fault as her .... She sure knows how to pick them

[steveyinasia]

It is sad to see groups of people, even sadder if a couple, concentrating on their phone more than joining a conversation of the verbal kind. People who feel that the digital world is more exciting than the real world need to have a good look at their lives. Those changing their Facebook status whilst walking down the road, not looking, get a sharp " look up" for me. Sundays are my no phone day...if the world where to end on Sunday, I will have to wait until Monday to find out.

[aparasher]

As I write this on my laptop while reading the forum, my daughter is watching her videos on her iPad and wife is watching Thai Voice on another tablet. The timer is running on the mobile phone for chicken cooking in oven as oven timer is not working.

Facebook, Twitter, Line and all communication avenues have shrunk the world, but, these have increased our dependency on digital devices.

[RKASA]

So the 20% at best in Thailand that can even get an affordable connection, are now feeling over taxed by it all. Are hearts go out to you and remind you of the advice we are often faced with from you;

If you don't like it - you should move.

[cheshiremusicman]

It is sad to see groups of people, even sadder if a couple, concentrating on their phone more than joining a conversation of the verbal kind. People who feel that the digital world is more exciting than the real world need to have a good look at their lives. Those changing their Facebook status whilst walking down the road, not looking, get a sharp " look up" for me. Sundays are my no phone day...if the world where to end on Sunday, I will have to wait until Monday to find out.

The world of 'Social Interaction' .e.g. SPEAK- LISTEN-THINK-RESPOND have now gone out of the window. I personally use the internet to communicate with friends around the world and use it to glean information/knowledge etc and would NOT like to be without it; as it is a brilliant 'tool' that allows us (fortunate to have access to it) to communicate almost instantly around the globe - sorry for the carrier pigeons, but life goes on apace, but I do NOT want to be a member of 'Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other so called 'Social Media Systems' that have mindlessly taken over peoples lives.

I would be very interested to see the reaction of the vast majority of the 'can't live without looking at their smartphone's every single minute group of people', if the communications networks were, for some reason, disabled for two or three days. I would imagine that the call for psychiatric help would implode because they couldn't bear to live without knowing what some friend had for breakfast, or when they last went to the toilet!

I can see the time fast approaching, when humans (sic) will have 'smartphones' implanted from primary school age and verbal communications become impossible because evolution has deemed that a mouth and vocal chords are no longer needed. Then we will all have to breath through our noses as was the original intent.

[lee b]

Has anybodys phone NOT got candy crush on it????

[ChoakMyDee]

Although I have been obsessed with smartphone and internet technology, it is starting to wear off. When out with people, I very rarely even look at my phone any more and I consider it very bad manners to be using the phone when out with people. I'm thinking the smarphone/iPad etc. fad will eventually wear off and people will go back to giving their attention to each other again.

[ChoakMyDee]

I can see the dasy when a couple communicate by smartphone,sitting next to each other.Skills of verbal communication will go,due to the young ones obsession with mobiles.

I was in a steak restaraunt,with my partner,the other night.Withing 10 mins the inside part had 4 westerners come in seperately.Every one got their mobile phones out,then ordered food and kept their head down,messing with their phones all the time they were waiting for food.2 even continued on their phones whilst eating &lt;deleted&gt;.

THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD

What are you on about? They were eating alone. They weren't being rude in any way. Would you have them staring at you while they are eating instead?

[pgrahmm]

Relaxing in my apartment at this minute with a gf of mine. I am on my iPhone reading Thaivisa and she is on Facebook or some other site..... Sent her a message on Line " good morning" she looks up then back down at her phone... I then receive message " good morning" . Not a word spoken.

OMG .....

Now when they can plant a computer chip into our brains we will not even need to have the smart phone. Just send and receive messages by thinking.... The future of communication ....

You sure know how to pick 'em.

Met her online,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?

[BuriramRes]

Sitting in a huge restaurant the other night, dozens of people (mainly women of all ages) were totally transfixed to their phones. i-pads or whatever, and totally oblivious of their friends or even the food that was on the table.

Their minds will be messed up within 5 years if not sooner.

Pathetic!. They need to get a life!

In my opinion, they don't have a mind. They are just addicted to computer games. TV is more of an addiction than I like.

[ttthailand]

Sitting in a huge restaurant the other night, dozens of people (mainly women of all ages) were totally transfixed to their phones. i-pads or whatever, and totally oblivious of their friends or even the food that was on the table.

Their minds will be messed up within 5 years if not sooner.

Pathetic!. They need to get a life!

In my opinion, they don't have a mind. They are just addicted to computer games. TV is more of an addiction than I like.

What's worse chatting with friends and family, playing games, reading the news online, and sending emails on your smart phone .....or ...... Being glued to the TV watching countless hours of nonsense?

Different strokes for different folks

It's only when one person is on their phone and another is just there sitting that I think it is very very very impolite and should never be done unless for a few minutes or something extremely important is going on. But there are rude people everywhere and in every class...

[Mudcrab]

Relaxing in my apartment at this minute with a gf of mine. I am on my iPhone reading Thaivisa and she is on Facebook or some other site..... Sent her a message on Line " good morning" she looks up then back down at her phone... I then receive message " good morning" . Not a word spoken.

OMG .....

Nope..thats yoru reality

[uptheos]

Its true. Einstein said, he fears that one day technology will be more important than human relationships and socializing. His fear has become a reality.

Smart bloke, that Albert.