Article 3 - Escaping from technology addiction

How we can escape from getting addicted to technology? I don't think who are already addicted to it won't be even interested to discuss such a topic. But at one stage they will realize they are missing some important and happy moments of their life which is blind folded by the mammoth growth of technology. In my previous article I had explained about the impact and those missing moments or sweet memories.

Majority of technology is in the form of internet in laptops, iPods, iPads, tablets, computers, smart phones and other upcoming future generation gadgets which are controlling the human race at a fast pace. Though we cannot blame the internet invention itself, we can at least try to escape from getting addicted to it.  Now a days almost are all are getting addicted to most of social networking sites and some even stay online chatting over weeks, updating statuses with out having any breaks, chatting to brothers and sisters who stay in the same house but in different rooms, chatting to some unknown persons whom you have never seen in your life etc..

Probably they can all shutdown their systems and go for a walk in the garden and listen to the songs of birds and enjoy the power of real nature in the form of sun, moon, rain or rainbow. It seems really disconnected when human face to face communication is overwritten by assembly languages, matrix codes and programming algorithms. Probably all can visit their old childhood friends who reside in native places, can share their experiences with friends who work in a different domain or probably meet the elderly people who have not even heard of face book ;)

We can teach those kids who are addicted to games in smart phones or Xbox to play some old games which are extinct or not even heard. They can play hide and seek in the twilight or dance to their favorite music or play cricket or football or any of their favorite out door games in the play ground under sun light which all adds up to their health in the form of exercise and immunity.They can play some word games with parents which improve their language pronunciation, communication and vocabulary. They can listen to the fairy tales and historical stories from their grand parents which will teach them history, culture, relation and affection. They can read some useful physical books, participate in sports,poetry, art or painting competitions or at least give it all a try in their own home and show their talents to parents or relatives or neighborhood friends. All these extra curricular activities are real fun and really motivates the children for their studies too.

 Its not only kids, even adults and elders are spending hours and weeks before their favorite smart gadgets without even giving enough time to sleep. May be we need to go back to a time period where there were no gadgets or no electricity and watch over those people who survived with basic needs. So many inventions had helped people a lot, but it had made them work less physically and mentally. For example, invention of two, three, four (or more than that) wheeler vehicles made people to travel to long distances with ease but at the same time they got addicted to it in such a way that even for nearest shop or house, they are making use of them only. May be they forgot the use of their legs or forgot how to make them walk :) They are not even able to make use of stairs in order to go to first floor from ground floor, as escalators and lifts have made their legs to rest in peace. As a result, I am not saying that people can participate in some survival of fittest reality programs or to live with out internet (may be electricity) for 1 week in order to save from technology addiction, but at least try to breathe some fresh air free of technology, gadgets etc and take a break and go on a tour to your favorite vacation spot. Always think that humans should control technology and know their limits and restrictions and it is not the other way around.

-- Siva Subramanian.