[rant alert]
This one’s for the oldies, and the addicts. If you think you’re not the latter, you will be after reading this article.
Unlike other posts on this blog, I’ll use the first person in this article instead of the common “we this”, “we that”. Often people ask “why do you use “we” in your posts if you’re the sole writer?”; and that’s because in I Freaking LOVE Smart Gadgets (IFLSG), I’m trying to portray the passion that not only I have for technology, but all of us do. Ergo, when I say “we this”, and “we that”, I’m representing a brand, an image; one that displays that love for smart gadgets.
Now, on that note.
Not long ago was I talking to someone who posed a very interesting question…
“When was the last time you were fine with being bored?“
Don’t get me wrong. I love technology as much as the next one, but think about this for just a minute. 
I can’t speak for everyone, but my day generally starts and ends with the use of some gadget.
My Alexa-alarm rings at 7:00 am and I proceed to use my phone for a good 15-20 minutes. My daily routine includes checking emails, texts, and handle my other notifications. This obviously includes our favorite apps: Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Once I’m done with all of that, I’ll head on to the shower where I’ll use my phone and my bluetooth speakers (to remind myself I’ll never be more than a bathroom singer).
I’ll ask Alexa details about the weather a few times before I leave my house to go to class, where I’m always using my phone or my laptop for personal or academic reasons. Look at the times, when teachers say “write this down”, how many still actually… write? 
And why shouldn’t we use our laptops to take notes? We live in a world where technology is advancing everyday, with the sole purpose of making our lives easier. I’m sure more than a handful of people reading this article will have memories of their guardians complaining about how “back in the day” they’d use actual books, when all we need today is Google. My day ends with my Play Station playing Netflix, while connected to my TV; right before I fall asleep.
You see? It literally starts and ends with the use of technology.
But of course; we young-adults have used cell phones from an extremely early age. Today a 6-year-old can figure out how to use a gadget faster than my mother can, and still, this shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Today’s i-Phones and i-Tablets are yesterday’s Heroin and Cocaine.
When was the last time you were fine with being bored?
The simple idea of being bored is boring to us, and we can’t handle that.
We can’t wait in lines anymore without taking our phones out and refreshing our Instagram feed even though we’ve seen every possible picture. We can’t cross the streets and simply observe our surroundings. We can’t go to the bathroom without having some sort of entertainment because we dread those 5-10 minutes when we have nothing else to occupy our minds with. We feel our phones vibrating when we have absolutely no new messages. We are obsessed with asking for the WI-FI password. It’s more important for us to take pictures of trips we’ll never see again, than actually enjoying the moments we spend.
I recently visited New York for the first time ever, and all my frozen hands could do was Snapchat everything. Everything I ate, everything I saw; my Snapchat and Instagram friends had to know about it (even though many did not even care). And for what reason? I am almost positive I’ll never re-visit those photos.
Yes. I had to record this.
In Brooklyn, I visited Output, (video above) a club where you’re not allowed to record videos, take pictures, or even text. At first I was convinced that it was an extremely shady place and I’d find traces of drugs in every corner, but I was so wrong. The reason they’re so strict on the use of personal technology, is to discourage you from living for your social life, and start living for your personal life. Hands down, it was one of my best party experiences ever. I appreciated the company of my friends, as well as every single techno beat.
“Hey P, you write in a technology related blog. Why would you write an article discouraging technology?“
Using your devices constantly doesn’t make you a bad person because this is how the world operates and we have to operate with it. Thanks to technology, we have learnt to understand and love so many things in life. We are dependent on technology but only because it has proven to make life much easier and much faster, which is an extremely good thing. So no, I’m not discouraging technology nor the use of it; but every once in a while, look up from your screens and just appreciate what you have. This includes enjoying the scenery on your vacations and not concerned about the best Insta-filter.
It’s okay to be bored, but it’s also ok to not. With that being said, have a safe spring break. I’m sure I’ll see the pictures and I’m sure I’ll see the videos.
