Are You Distracted?
It would be a virtual miracle if you weren’t. There is so much being thrown at us each day that we are seemingly forced into a situation where we have to multi-task just to get by. Right?
NO NO NO it is definitely wrong! One of the things we are being brainwashed into believing is that we have to constantly keep moving, to multi-task, just to stay afloat. But if you look into the end product of all that multi-tasking, what do you actually get?
It is absolutely true that you could be kept on hold these days for twenty or thirty minutes, or even an hour, just to change your cable appointment, or report an error in one of the many bills you receive. But this is one of the by products of modern life, where we take so many services and things for granted that would be considered absolute luxuries just a short time ago. We have an amazing amount of choice in just about every class of product; but I don’t think we ever considered the time, effort or aggravation factor involved in maintaining these perks.
We can get hundreds of television channels at home, but still find nothing worthwhile to watch. I remember when Cable TV was first introduced in Manhattan, and quite frankly while I love a few of these channels, I am definitely not happier now than before these channels were available. But in the last year, I have probably had to call the cable company at least six times because of a problem in my service.
Of course, the cell phone has changed everything. While I love the flexibility of doing business on my phone while walking on a beach with the added satisfaction of nobody knowing this, the cell phone has also interrupted so many private moments that I gave up counting them long ago. And with the advent of more sophisticated devices like the iphone, people’s range of possibilities has been extended exponentially. Unfortunately, with these possibilities comes so much more distractions, so it is becoming increasingly difficult to get anyone’s attention while actually in their presence. I, for one, miss people being actually present while I am in their company. When I see people in public “manipulating” their mobile devices with heads down and with a shifting look of pleasure and seriousness, I can’t help thinking this is a new and slightly prurient form of publicly accepted masturbation.
I don’t have the iphone now, but I am considering purchasing the new iphone. It will be interesting to see if I can minimize the distractions that seem to affect everyone I know who has one.
What are your thoughts?
