Blackberry, Disconnecting People

Our lives have been taken over by an electronic device that is, besides a means of communication, the greatest wall to have ever been built between people. Forget the Berlin wall, the London wall, the Korean wall. Hell, forget the Great Wall of China! This is an even greater wall; one that is only getting higher and will continue to do so for as long as it may.

This device is meant to “connect people”; their slogan should be “So far, yet so close”; the person you keep messaging back and forth all day and all night long, might be living on the other side of the world, and yet there they are, right there on your screen. But I believe that it is actually driving people farther apart, and I would still like to go with the old, common saying as a slogan: “So close, yet so far”. Because if you think about it, the real person you should be connected to at that specific moment, is the person sitting with you at the table, trying to have a civilized conversation with you over lunch. It is your parents, who are trying to talk to you and ask you what is new with you. It is the people who are in the same room with you, but who are feeling neglected and slightly offended, that a conversation with your electronic device seems more important and much funnier than anything they might have to say.

Let’s run through the typical day of a typical person nowadays, shall we? Naturally, all their friends, family, neighbors…basically, their entire Facebook list knows their BB Pin, because they did not forget to post that information as their status, as soon as they bought that new cool electronic device which keeps them connected all the time, everywhere, to everyone. They also did not forget to mention it as a personal message next to their nickname, be it on MSN, Google Talk, or any other chatting program that they use.

This person wakes up in a hurry, does not have breakfast because there simply isn’t any time, as they did not get much sleep; the messaging with their friend on Blackberry the night before kept them from going to bed early, and they just could not miss out on any updates or gossip! Anyway, they get dressed quickly and start wishing they had prepared the clothes to wear the night before, so that they wouldn’t have to go to work looking a mess. They get caught in traffic and start the day by cursing because they are going to be late for work, all while drinking their coffee, listening to Gavin Ford or Tanguy on the radio, and continuing the previous night’s conversation on Blackberry. They have to continue that conversation because some of the messages did not previously reach the other end, and that created some confusions and misunderstandings. That obviously needs to be solved as early as possible during the day! Forget the possibility of getting into an accident, this is more important!

Our typical person gets to work, and keeps thinking all day long of how they will be spending their evening. Gym? Movies? Shopping? Parents? Friends? There is so much to do, the day is just too short with the 9-6 shift, and that just adds to the frustration. But never mind, because as soon as they step out, here it is, beeping again. Ah, like a breath of fresh air! Mind you, not because they could not use it during the day, but because they had MSN and Facebook as temporary alternative ways of staying connected and up-to-date. Our typical person is so exhausted by the end of the day that they end up doing something which they did not even feel like doing, then rush back home to snuggle into bed and either go online or spend time with their best friend, Blackberry; or, to avoid any formalities, BB. What a cute and affectionate abbreviation. And the cycle continues the day after…

We have to stay connected nowadays. We simply have to. Connected to receive work emails and keep the stress going, 24/7, but more importantly for friends or even mere acquaintances to stay updated and familiar with our whereabouts. Don’t you miss the days when a phone was just made to dial a number and connect you to a friend or a parent with whom you haven’t spoken in a while? Does that even happen now? Do you genuinely miss any person you know? Do you get the chance to miss them? Do you find the time to miss them? I personally wish I did not know so much all the time. I wish I could take some time away without the power of “connection” just forcing me back into its vicious circle!

Image; this is all what this society has come to. People don’t even ask you what your phone number is anymore. They just know your BB pin. And you have to keep up with it, whether you like it or not. Otherwise you will find yourself lagging behind and it is extremely difficult to try to catch up afterwards. Don’t try to run away from it anyway; it will catch up to you eventually.

The way we live our lives, the things we live for, the principles we live by… what’s with the quick pace? Why the rush people! What are you running towards?? Slow down and smell the roses. There is so much you are missing out on.

The sad part is… I give myself another couple of months before I get myself one of those Blackberries.