PhiloPsycho Freedom

A little over a week ago, I came into contact with the idea of doing a digital detox. The thought process seems to be something along the line of seeing what effect these devices have on our daily lives, experiences, and our sense of self. I've heard of people doing something similar when they attempt vegetarianism. I thought I'd give it a go and started it a day after hearing about it.

The Details of the Digital Detox:

• No cell phone
• No Ipod or car radio
• No computer
• No TV
• Deactivating Facebook
• Avoiding digital devices whenever possible (had to switch to an analog clock for this, too)

Note that it’s digital, and not technological. I considered technological, but that would be quite impossible due to work, transportation, and the like. I quickly recruited my friend, who isn't that digital to begin with, to join me on my endeavor for support and to help work out the kinks of what should and should not be allowed, why exactly we were doing this, and what we were hoping to gain from it.

Like, I said, When I started, I began in the same vein to when people decide to do a trial run of vegetarianism; Do you feel any different from eating meat? is there a difference in living costs? Does eating meat affect energy levels? Similarly, I decided to see if there were any effects on how I live in and experience the world. The idea was brought to my attention through a magazine known as Adbusters (which is extremely worthwhile, by the way).

One thing you'll notice is that the style of each day's entry does not remain consistent, as I either got lazy, forgot, didn't like the previous format, or an assortment of other reasons. I'm going to put up what I wrote untouched just so you can see the progress through a week (which takes a different direction somewhere in the second half of the week). I decided to keep my thoughts on a pad of paper during the week in the absence of a computer to record it on. Here's the first day:

Up at ten, bored by one-thirty. I had an interview at noon that was a half hour drive away. The trip there and back was not interesting, to say the least; No radio, mildly sleep deprived, entirely rural surroundings (which means windows up due to wind from driving speeds, and to cut down on the smell of manure).

At home, I played some piano and started collecting various liqueurs that might mix well in the sangria I was planning on making, particularly for the solstice. I started considering getting drunk, but what the hell is the point of being drunk, alone, in silence? My parents have left town for the day and I'm trying to avoid using my cell phone, even if it's just as a phonebook.

At this point, It makes me reminisce about the many other times I've done things to test my will for some end: eating right, exercise, lent, etc. Stage one: withdrawal that creates an intense yearning for what you currently cannot have, which will eventually brake way for stages 2 and 3: indifference, then seeing your connection to the forsaken thing for what it is (a crutch, an addiction, the benefits and detriments, etc.)

I tried to read, but ended up falling asleep until four, with brief interruptions for the phone (I allowed the phone, but tried to avoid cordless ones). I dreamt that I was on the computer, going automatically to Facebook and reactivating my account. I got mad at myself, reshut it down, and repeated the process again. Bizarre dream.

Went out for the rest of the night with friends, which distracted me from the lack of tech. Bed early, as there is nothing to do at night by myself.

Cheated:

• Calculator for the interview
• Text received, but not answered

Afterthought: At this point, I didn’t really have a clear definition of what I was planning on doing, or trying to achieve. So I was clear cutting certain technologies which don’t make sense to cut by my later definition.