Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Disconnect

Apologies for the lack of new content on this here blog in the last couple of weeks.
Nothing sinister - I've just been off on vacation. I'm back, refreshed and newly fascinated by human interaction and connectedness - and how and why we value it.
I spent the best part of two weeks utterly disconnected - and I observed those around me who, for the most part, were taking a similar course: folk on vacation - families spending time with each other.
And I wondered whether the lack of ubiquity when you're away from home/business and the ludicrous data charges is what suppresses our global social nature.
Or is it really something we NEED to take a break from, from time to time?
Or is it more simply that for those of us who are not digital natives, it is tougher for us to keep up the constant connectedness. We didn't grow up with it so we'll always need a little switch-off time?
My gut feeling is the latter. Those I did see around the pools with feet up, shades on and mobile in hand were, for the most part, a little younger than I.
What's your experience. Is disconnection part of your vacation experience - is it an essential part, an enforced part or an accidental one. If I didn't have a four-year-old in tow (and nothing requires more attention than that) would I have turned to social media to fill the time?

Please share and, just this time, share your age in your comments :-)

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2 comments:

  1. Welcome back! I'm a digital native (mid 20s) who feels the need to be constantly connected. The internet is information as much as connections - without it I feel uninformed. If I'm on holiday, there is always a nagging suspicion that I'm missing out on something...

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  2. Welcome back. Slight tangent but I was discussing with a contact of mine if its possible to work part time anymore, he works 3 days a week for a company but they gave him a blackberry and expect him to respond to calls and email... I think i'm quite diff in that as much as I love the social web i often revert to just my personal mobile which i haven't set any apps on for email/twitter etc. Weekends and evening I want off, are mine - some people find that crazy

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