People spend so much time looking at their phones these days; if you can tear your eyes away from yours the next time you're in public, take a look around for yourself. You'll see people walking and looking, sitting in the park and looking, at the cafe looking, on dates and with friends looking...always looking as if within that screen lies the most amazing thing. That's the lure of social media or those dumbass games available on phone apps, Candy Crush for instance, that seem to captivate people and cause their eyes to be glued to their phone screens.
I often wonder how much time they do it and know there's studies around that exact thing, particularly with children and youth who tend to spend an inordinate amount of time with their face fixed to their phone. I've watched such people get agitated when they cannot watch their phone screen or compromise their own safety or that of others just to keep their eyes on the screen and I wonder what could be so compelling. I don't know the answer but don't feel it's a good thing, all that phone-screen-staring.
I understand that people work on their phones, that's not what I'm talking about here though...I'm talking about those who spend hours on social media scrolling that endless feed looking for...looking for...I don't know to be honest...and the way they justify it by saying, I'm keeping up with friends and family, an excuse that doesn't hold much credence to me. Is there nothing better these people could be doing? That's a rhetorical question because I know the answer is, yes.
I took the image you see here and am often amazed at what I can see through the lens of a macro camera and which my human eyes miss...What do you think people miss when they spend their time gazing at their phone instead of at their surroundings and people around them?
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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It's so aggravating to sit down to dinner with someone and they immediately break out their phone. Worse still is trying to cruise the grocery store and constantly having to avoid being run into by folks with phone blinders on. Most times they don't even look up or if they do look at you it is with ire in their eyes, which I find slightly amusing. I want to get my shit and get out, not be waylaid by phone zombies.
The photo is beautiful and a reminder of all we miss when we don't look closer. Folks gazing at their phones miss living, they are simply existing and consuming.
People seem to have lost their manners and feel, for some reason, that they can't go a minute without looking at their phone. Just on the phone-walkers in the supermarket (or anywhere else)...I don't move around them, I stand my ground, and if they look at me with ire in their eyes they soon change their tune when they look in mine; I'm intolerant of wankers.
I wonder where it'll all lead, the dumbing down of society I guess, the loss of connection, and other such negatives.
Those who are not aware of their surroundings will soon be led to slaughter. Hopefully humanity starts to look up more often.
I hope so, on both counts.
Me too
This is really a sad reality nowadays. Yes people tend to spend most of their time on the screen and miss a lot of things. By focusing on the screen people will miss to see the beauty of surroundings, the beauty of nature and above all people will miss to have quality time with the people around them especially the people they love.
Do you feel you spend too much time looking at your phone?
Me personally, I can say that I didn't because I am more busy outside my phone because I have a lot of errands to do. I am even inactive here in hive these days.
I am using my phone for loading, gcash in and out, blogging, posting for online selling and sometimes scrolling the news feed.
Seems like a good way to go.
I think it must be some kind of addiction, they don't look for anything, they just swipe the screen and look at nothing, maybe the phone sucked their brains out?
As I have told you several times, they are like zombies who don't look at the beautiful things they miss, nature, the city, people, a flower, a painting and being able to look into the eyes of their loved one. They miss out on real life.
I think you might be right.
There will be few... humans left.
I wish you a good end to the day!
It’s quite unfortunate how addicting these things are and how little people know or even want to know about that. I won’t process to be the best person in terms of that but even before we had the little man I would have headphones in listening to music but I would certainly spend times walking and keeping an eye on nature and stuff. Perhaps it’s because I grew up a good amount of time without the fondle slabs and had a passion for hiking and stuff before instead of people who have only known it.
It’s definitely something that gives me pause - how easily people give up their whole lives for these things, and what that means for the future. What will the powers that shouldn’t be get away with because of this addiction and lack of attention?
You make a good point about the lack of general awareness and also being closed off to things that should really be clearly seen and understood such as government and corporate nutbaggry. What will be gotten away with? A lot, and it's already occuring. People need to wake up from their stupor but with their attention firmly focussed on social media and app games...it's unlikely. The fall will come eventually though.
Phones should be used as tools, like calculators; sadly, this is not the case in many countries. Even in poor countries like the Philippines, people won't have any shoes or proper clothes, but they will have the newest phones. They are surrounded by beautiful nature but choose to scroll on their phones. Living on a boat has taught me that I don't need a phone; I'm not reliant on it. If the internet goes down tomorrow, I'll survive. This is a huge problem with my generation, but I'm learning from it, so I will not make the same mistake with my kids.
I read a study recently, and it said that if you spend 4 hours a day on your phone, you would waste approximately 13.33 years of your life.
Food for thought
Yep, exactly. Time wasting, and yet the world would continue without phones. It's so strange how people have come to rely on them and defend that vehemently when challenged on it.
I don't like to generalise, but it seems that most people waste a lot of time on social media... they are there for the ‘pleasure’ of wallowing in bad news and act as links in a chain by re-posting, validating even things that are false. They create a toxic world around them... a world also of appearances and a hollow, meaningless world.
We have to look after our individuality and try to stay sane in this crazy world, G.
I couldn't have said it better myself and I agree completely. Not everyone wastes that time, but so many do and feel justified...I feel it's of a negative to them and their lives though, generally.
That's why I like Hive. I feel that I can choose what suits me best and I feel that I am doing something useful by learning and supporting people who work and care that we see meaning and beauty, and also that we reflect and become better every day.
Nice day... me 😴
Yeah, makes sense.
I was talking to my wife quite some time ago and I was lamenting on the fact that there is nothing to do on the Internet. Yet many people keep looking. I think it shows a lot of awareness on my part that I realized there is nothing here for me right now and accepting that as okay is a huge step. I don't spend too much time on social media anymore.
Well said...if only more people realised that and moved away and tobotyer things. Society could then start to get back on track.
What you describe is a universal fact. And, truth be told, I think a lot of people can't stand real life. They can't say things in the face and take refuge in anonymity or in the impunity of the networks, or they look for an applause that they can't find in reality.
My answer may be very general, I think that screens serve, in many cases, not to see life.
Yes, people delude themselves. Pathetic really.
Self-delusions of screen friends aside, have a great week, and thank you.
Having a great Monday so far, thank you, and I hope you have a nice week too.
Here I am agreeing with you while I am reading this post on my phone!
I am conscious of how the phone interferes with social connection and distracts from being present but probably am not as good at it as I can be. With so many moving parts of my life needing my attention with teenage girls needing help, a business to run and an active social life, it is a way to keep my hand on those wheels while doing other stuff. Still, I am training myself not to enjoy the dopamine that comes from a buzzing alert and keep my brain wondering and piecing things rather than just looking them up and knowing.
I love seeing the social media posts encouraging people not to take their phones with them on dinner dates, when they are with kids, or even to the washroom. Maybe we will get to the point it is taboo and more effort is put into ignoring the phone but it keeps getting better!
One benefit I have experienced is I am a little more in the moment and looking out for wonderful little details so that I can photograph them and share them via the blockchain or even use pics as story aids or stock photos for business reasons.
Still, I love these reminders and will make this my last phone curation this morn!
People exchange their real world for what's on their screen the phone is a tool, nothing more, but people tumble into them and place so much importance on them and make excuses (they see as valid) for why. They live through other people's (usually fake) lives and justify it by saying, I'm keeping up with friends and family, all the while failing to live their lives.
I have no problems with a phone being used as a tool, like a carpenter uses a hammer, or how toilet paper or a shoe is used...but when it becomes someone's world, that's not so good. And yet, people exchange their real lives for the fake and inconsequential world the fall into on their phones.
I walked the property here the other night. No phone in hand. Trying not to think too much about the overwhelming amount of things that need to be done.
It was nice to detach for 20 minutes and just enjoy the walking.
That detachment is what we all need and yet so few do it which works to their detriment. Also, good to hear you're walking post and staying vigilant.
It is easier to live in virtual worlds, where you cannot see gestures or faces, than in real life, I suppose that is the norm today. The irony tells itself, because "globalization" instead of bringing us closer, isolates us in our homes.
Things of these new times, that's why I increasingly feel the need to get away from the city, go live on a farm, with animals and growing vegetables, in the middle of nowhere.
You're right and I agree...getting away from society gives perspective and nature helps too.
It's unfortunately the age we are in, the bug has caught both the young and the old alike. My mom's new android phone which is a gift from her kids has become something else, dad complains they no longer play ludo game together because Mom is glued to her phone.
I'm also guilty because I work with my phone but I hardly use the social media though, just WhatsApp when I need to connect to my loved ones.
It's an addiction that's here to stay I think.
It's funny, some people have so little in life, in some countries no shoes on their feet...but they have the latest phone. Pathetic, the way people rely on them and exchange the real world for what's on the screen.
Perhaps someone is now sitting in the park after a walk, inhaling the aroma of pines and firs on a hot day. He watches people, and then takes out his smartphone and reads this post, what a beautiful flower he thinks. And people with screaming children pass by and think, here’s another Internet addict sitting on his smartphone :)
Perhaps.
You’ve captured a reality that many of us see everyday but often ignore. There’s so much life happening around us, yet so many of us get lost in the digital world. It’s a powerful observation and a gentle nudge to reconnect with the present moment and the people around us.
Indeed.
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