The internet is a wonder. When I want a movie streamed on a computer, I have 24 frames per second being sent to me over thousands of miles almost instantaneously–and not over wires, but straight through the air in waves of information. I don’t understand how that works.
I can look up about any question whenever I want it answered–like what the standard frame rate is for movies. Which started a rabbit hole about why we have that particular frame rate, and I’ve learned a bit about the history of recording video, CGI and video games, high frame rate, and augmented reality.
I could go into a rabbit hole about the origin of the phrase rabbit hole, which I’m pretty sure is related to Alice in Wonderland, but I will resist. Her rabbit hole was a dream, actually–a fall straight into absurdity.
And that’s what the internet feels like. It feels absurd. It feels like disappearing cats that pop up in unexpected places. It feels like mixed up life that doesn’t sound quite right anymore.
I am pretty sure I would be happier without the internet. And without smart phones. And without computers, even.
The thing is, I don’t have to use them. I don’t have to turn on my computer or check my smart phone. I don’t have to have a Facebook account and I don’t have to follow people on Instagram. But I do.
What stops me from cutting the cord, from waking up from this dream of absurdity and actually living my life instead of falling into the rabbit hole?
Quite a few things: connecting with people, searching answers for simple questions, creating and sharing posts and videos, watching television shows, reading news, taking classes, shopping, listening to music, etc.
There are so many good things that technology can do.
I have invested in blocking software–blocking websites in the morning and limiting distracting websites to certain time limits and numbers of launches.
But on days when I feel tired and cranky, I still find myself wasting time, going around the limits I’ve made for myself and falling down the rabbit hole.
I don’t have an answer of how I can balance this in my life. It’s hard. Having too many options is hard.
Here is what I do right now:
- I only check social media once a day.
- I have a fifteen minute time limit on YouTube.
- All websites are blocked until 11:00.
- 10 or 20 minute limit on websites I commonly get distracted on.
- I don’t have access to a web browser or a search engine on my phone.
But I feel like I’m falling down a slippery slope, one that I can’t seem to master. Good days, when I’m feeling happy and motivated, I do fine. But the days where I just don’t want to follow my rules. And I don’t.
I’ll keep working on it. I want some sort of conclusion, but I don’t have one.
Heather Hoyt 