Spending Time with Yourself
01 February 2010 | By Dave in UncategorizedI’m at work and as I write this, I have my Droid by my side, my Facebook friends are chatting with me, I am periodically checking home and work e mails and people are tweeting all around me. In fact, a few of the folks have their ear-buds in and they’re oblivious to the world. We’re all so connected that we’ve begun to ignore ourselves.
Tom Joerres, my boss, always dreads getting a phone call from me in those warm, summer months. Why? Because he knows that I’ve been out cutting the lawn. And I don’t wear headphones or ear-buds. I spend the time alone with my thoughts, usually coming up with some goofy idea that goes nowhere. But I digress.
The point is that we have devolved into a society that is hyper-aware and ultra-savvy when it comes to technology. But all we do is consume. Rarely, do we create. A disproportionate amount of the correspondence I receive is simply someone forwarding someone else’s creativity to me. Usually there’s some sort of smart a** remark attached. Hey, I’m as guilty as anyone else.
So, while we are connected 24/7, it’s mostly passive consumption. We watch TV, we listen to music (hopefully to KLH ;~) we are online, watching youtube videos and reading blogs. We play video games, we’re on our smart phones, we tweet, text and check out Facebook. We spend our spare time playing Mafia Wars, Farmville, Halo, or Madden.
I remember reading the USA Today article back in 2008 about the most creative TV commercials of the last 25 years. Not one of them was produced after 1999. But I’m not just talking about creativity as it relates to media or to the web.
Creativity is the missing link that can help create jobs, reform health care, education, and elevate us all. But how can any of us, especially young people with whom the future resides, be creative in the current environment? Most of them can’t spend 10 minutes without some sort of passive stimulation. Hey, its not just teenagers. I know plenty of people who can’t even take a walk or go running without staying connected.
I’ve started unplugging myself from the world from Friday afternoon until Sunday night and it’s been awesome. Want to know the best part? I figured out that spending 2 days with my own thoughts is about all I can handle.
02 February 2010 | Jim Jessen Said:
Thanks for the thoughts Dave. Many people don’t appreciate the quiet time with our own minds. I deer hunt both with bow and rifle and haven’t been real successful over the years and people don’t understand why I keep doing it. When I tell them just being outdoors listening to the earth is worth the trip, they don’t get it! I once designed a whole remodeling project on a deer stand one day when the deer decided to sleep in. It’s encouraging that a guy who is so connected like you can unplug and just enjoy cutting the grass. Mow on Brother!
02 February 2010 | Jeanette Said:
Great thoughts and maybe insight as to why unemployment is so high. No one is there to think about how to create the needed jobs. Or to listen to the ocaisional person who is taking the time to think and create. Outside stimulation is controling their lives,turning them into “technozombies”.
02 February 2010 | Earl Said:
Dave, I agree that getting away from all the stuff is important to ones saneness. I too am eager for the grass cutting summertime. I call it my mental health break. I can just walk and listen to the drone of the lawnmower, back and forth, back and forth until it’s done. It’s great to turn your brain off from all the daily distractions and just be. The other mental brake comes when I have a chance to fire up my Harley and ride anywhere on the 2 lane highway. Up towards Port, Fredonia, Waubeka, West Bend, Holy Hill and finally back to Mequon. My wife doesn’t always understand but that’s ok.