Breaking News: Phones Don't Deliver Actual Human Connection

In the four months we’ve been “Safer at Home,” I’ve been using my phone much more often than I previously allowed myself. Text messages, Instagram Direct Messages, FaceBook comments, Messenger notifications, WhatsApp...I get little dopamine boosts from all of that. And I feel that familiar deflated loneliness after checking all my sources and there’s nothing left. As a self-proclaimed digital minimal-ish person, my overuse of technology feels very hypocritical. 

I’ve done all I can to limit my digital exposure already: I only follow immediate family and very close friends on Facebook, I’ve muted most Instagram stories, and I maintain strict “Do Not Disturb Hours.” Despite these measures, I feel the siren call of my phone more than ever.

“Dancers,” Denver’s Performing Arts Sculpture Park (Cornish, 2016)

We reach for human connection, but we’re really just reaching for tiny computers with cameras.

The desire for human connection is so powerful that I’ve become confused. I reach for my phone to fulfill my need to authentically connect with people. But, I’m really just reaching for a sophisticated, tiny computer with a camera.

While seeking freedom from society and conformity, Christopher McCandless came to the realization that "happiness is only real when shared."

But, what happens when we’re not able to physically share our lives with our loved ones? I’m not alone in my reliance on social media and text messages to replace my need for actual human connection. 

It’s a very human trait to seek other people to share our lives with. Eventually the COVID-19 pandemic will subside and we’ll be left to deal with the aftermath. But, there’s also the question of how we’re coping in the meantime.

As we continue to reach for authentic human connection via our phones, we’re doing prolonged damage to our bodies and minds, as well as and setting up poor digital habits for the future.

Who should we give our hearts to? Our phones or our friends? Street art, Denver (Cornish, 2016)

More than ever, we’re personifying our cellular devices.

We go to them, we coddle them, and we carefully bathe them in disinfectant. We reach in our pockets and purses just to feel the hope of future connections. We personalize their voices, ringtones, alerts, and notifications so that they reflect our personalities. Some of us tuck our phones in at night, happily laying them next to us on our pillows, unaware of the harm that we might be unintentionally doing to ourselves. 

Did you know that 71% of Americans sleep with or sleep next to their phones? And, when you look at the younger generations, the percentage can be up to 90%? Why?

1. Many people (myself included) don’t have an external alarm clock - we use our phones. So, it’s convenient to have them next to the bed so we can turn them off in the morning. 

2. Phones and mobile devices are also used for entertainment before bed. Many people read on their phones, catch up on the news or social media, or watch videos before bed. 

3. Lots of people like the comfort of their nearby devices to fill an unconscious need for connection, and to deflect the dreaded Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). The idea here is, if our phones are out of the room, we might miss something! Even while we are sleeping!

4. Many may suffer from actual cell-phone addiction. Often referred to as “problematic mobile phone use,” cell-phone addiction is similar to other addictions such as gambling, shopping, or video-game addiction. This can lead to some really severe consequences.

Applications on our mobile devices fool us into thinking that they are delivering actual human connection.

There hasn’t been enough time to study long term effects of phone use, since “smart phones” haven’t been around for long enough. 

What studies have shown, however, is that phones emit electromagnetic radiation, or EMF, along with several other sources of radiation. Cell signals, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS all emit subtle radiation from our phones.

For these reasons, it’s not a great idea to sleep with your phone. If there is some truth to these recent studies, it’s best that we shield ourselves from these harmful things as much as possible. But, if you must sleep near your phone, please turn your phone to airplane mode. This greatly reduces and may even eliminate the signals coming from our phones.

Use airplane mode to reduce distractions and harmful radiation

Control your phone; don’t let it control you. 

If you, like me, are feeling powerless to the lure of your device, don’t beat yourself up. It’s a weird time. But, do take certain measures to make sure you rely on healthy methods of connection.

How to take back control of your device:

1. Keep your phone on silent when you don’t need to use it.

2. Enable Do Not Disturb Mode for evening hours.

3. Make use of Airplane Mode even when you’re not on an airplane. This saves battery and reduces harm to our minds and bodies.

4. If you have it, enable Nighttime Mode to reduce blue light exposure. The idea here is that exposing ourselves to too much blue light can adversely effect sleep.

5. Choose to read a book instead of using a phone before bed. Screens block melatonin secretion. Melatonin is a hormone essential for sleep. When we use our phones before bed, we don't feel tired; instead, we feel activated and awake. Our quality of sleep can be improved when we choose to do something else other than reach for our phones.

6. Seek out fulfilling ways to connect with family and friends. We can set up a socially-distanced get together in an outdoor space; we could use the “phone” capability of our phones to actually call family and friends instead of text messaging. We can also schedule video calls at a time when blue light exposure won’t mess with sleep; or, we can create and send handwritten letters or little care packages to loved ones: it’s a great way to maintain and rejuvenate important relationships.

Street art, Wicker Park Chicago (Cornish, 2009)

Gaining control of our devices can help us connect with the important things in life.

Putting boundaries in place between ourselves and technology can enhance our productivity, (re)build our faculties of concentration, strengthen the important relationships in our lives, and improve our overall well-being and health.

Have you been reaching for your phone a lot more during the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, how have you been able to find a middle ground? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below or share via email at ali.everthrive@gmail.com.

With gratitude always,

Ali

Camp Friendship

As we head through these languid summer months, my mind drifts to my teenage experiences at summer camp. My brothers and I attended a wilderness camp north of Duluth, MN, where we flourished while living semi-off grid near the Canadian Quetico wildness. We became more independent and self-reliant as we learned basic wilderness survival skills along side other teenagers and young adults. By leaving suburban Chicago behind, we were able to exist within a unique community, commune with nature, test our limits, and become much stronger for it. In essence, that’s what camp is all about!

Sarah Ackenbom, Retreats Coordinator and Director of Camp Friendship in Palmyra

I recently connected to Sarah Ackenbom, Director and Retreats Coordinator of Camp Friendship located on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Palmyra, Virginia. 

As a former elementary school teacher, Sarah loves guiding children through their individual learning journeys. Naturally, she feels a very personal connection to the experiences that summer camp can offer children, and she also believes that adults can have a similar transcendent experience.

There’s something about attending a summer camp that can help people slow down, focus on the essential, and connect to what’s important. Learn more about this below as Sarah shares her perspective on the grounding effects of spending time at Camp Friendship.

Ali C: How does Camp Friendship help people slow down and live more simply?  How does the camp allow for a soulful connection with nature?

Sarah A: There’s something about coming to summer camp that innately allows you to breathe. Spending time outside hearing the crunch of pine needles underfoot and the smell of crisp mountain air just gives you the feeling of space that you may not find so easily elsewhere.  

Whenever I leave camp for whatever reason, it’s funny that the first thing I notice now is the quality of air.  Sometimes you don’t realize the importance of something until you no longer have it.  The air of camp is that for me.  I can breathe here, and nowhere else compares.  This aura that floats through camp air is what I believe helps those who visit here to stop and reflect.  There’s somehow more space for that reflection when you can breathe.  

Ali C: How will the camp reduce noise to help people reflect and grow?  Is there a digital detox element?

Sarah A: The sound of birds chirping replaces the need for an alarm clock and the river along the edge of our property creates the white noise people pay for on their mindfulness app without needing to look at a screen.  Because of this, I’m constantly reminded of a quote from Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” (Random note: Just because I live and work at Camp Friendship, doesn’t mean I’m constantly living by the words of philosophers.  I just read this particular quote attached to my tea bag one day and it stuck with me!)

There is a lot of noise outside the bubble of Camp to constantly produce, to superficially connect, to go, go, go.  Within this world, people can slow down – technology doesn’t really fit in a place like this.  Our young summer campers are required to give up all technology when they stay here.  We even ask them to bring disposable cameras, you know, the ones that have the turney thing in the right-hand corner?  The same stringent rules don’t apply to all retreats here, but we do offer a challenge by choice option, so to speak. 

During our Women’s Retreat, there is a basket where guests can choose to place their phones when they arrive to eat each meal.  Instead of hopping down the proverbial rabbit hole of social media or texting with family about where the lost soccer cleat might be, women can choose to connect with one another at the retreat instead.  Since Wi-Fi is only available in certain locations on Camp, phone use is so much more intentional and meaningful.  There’s enough friction to break patterns that can be created that we just don’t notice in our day-to-day where it’s so easy to pull out our phone or turn on the TV.      

When you disconnect from your everyday surroundings, you’re giving yourself the chance to develop as an individual. You give yourself the priceless freedom to grow and thrive.

Why did you step away from traditional employment to manage the camp?

The short answer: In order to live my life to the fullest and truly connect in my marriage, I needed to slow down.   

The longer answer: Leaving teaching was something that I never thought I would do.  It was my career and a huge part of my identity.  When people ask what I do, my easy automatic response is that I’m a teacher. Leaving teaching would mean leaving the sunshine my students brought to my life and leaving the classroom that I loved.  It was going to mean a huge pay cut to leave a job I knew how to do and jump into something unknown. And I did it anyway. 

Change can be such an exciting, inspiring, refreshing, nerve wracking thing.  It can cue the best of your imagination and opens your eyes to see things in a different light than when you are simply hitting the repeat button.  In this case, change felt a little like a shot of whiskey.  Good, but it burned going down. 

You see, I was the kid who was unwavering in what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was even in the Future Teachers of America Club as a fifth grader.  Yeah, I was that kid.  And when I got my first teaching job after college, I was more than ready.  

I rushed around in the glorified busy-ness that I called life and did the best I could to keep my head above water. I worked at Camp as much as I could to help my family, while teaching full time.  Young children just bring a light to your life in a way that nothing else does. I loved being a part of each of my student’s individual learning journeys, meeting them where they were and helping them get to where they wanted to be.

However, I didn’t love the guilt I felt if I didn’t do the most Pinterest worthy lesson, the time that was expected of me before and after school or the personal money I put into my classroom.  Conformity was a drug that I was using to self-medicate and distract from what was really important in my personal life.

Pictured above: Sarah and her wife, Skye Ackenbom, daughter of founder Chuck Ackenbom.

Sarah and Skye run the camp alongside Alina Ackenbom, Executive Director and Founder/Director of Friendship Tennis Academy and wife of Camp Founder Chuck Ackenbom.

“We wanted to be more intentional with our lives, curate what we wanted life to look like and eliminate everything else.” - Sarah Ackenbom

I was stretched to my limit commuting two hours every day, working a long day at school, and coming home to work more at Camp. I was averaging about four or five hours of sleep a night. Weekends weren’t a respite, they meant more work at Camp and then most of Sunday evening meant preparing for school the next day.  Skye and I had little time together, and when we did, we talked mainly about work.  Every once in a while, we promised ourselves that we would only talk about personal things and stop talking about Camp or school, but it always found a way to creep back in.  Ten years into teaching, Skye and I knew we couldn’t keep going this way.  

Sarah and Skye Ackenbom

We knew the change that needed to happen included many difficult decisions. We wanted to be more intentional with our lives, curate what we wanted life to look like and eliminate everything else. I said goodbye to being a classroom teacher and started full time as a Director at Camp.  From the burn that change creates, came so much good. 

Ending my teaching career was the catalyst that allowed for further growth. What I thought I should be doing and how I should be doing it adjusted to become something new:

• We slowed down and became ardently intentional about every aspect of our lives.

• We started minimizing the things in our home, budgeting the money we spent, analyzing our time and where to best put our energy and talents.

• I put boundaries in place for areas that distracted me from being present to create friction around bad habits. Absolutely no social media for me and Pinterest is only allowed on weekends!

We now live our lives at a pace that allows the sand to shift slowly between work and personal endeavors, all the while connecting and growing together. I am centered, grounded in exactly what matters most to me, in this new slow existence.

“Live a life of intention, not obligation” - Sarah Ackenbom

Skye and Sarah Ackenbom

To thine self be true.  We celebrate Shakespeare’s Hamlet for the poignant words that seem so simple when reading them.  In reality, finding your true North can be a life’s pursuit.  I always have had an internal compass to guide me on my journey and land where I belong.  I’m right where I’m meant to be.  

When someone asks me what I do, my gut reaction is still to say that I am a teacher.  The word still forms on my lips, because teaching is still a huge part of who I am in my heart. Thankfully, it is also a huge part of what I do in my work at Camp. Now, I proudly get to say that I am a Camp Director.  

Ali C: What would you say to someone considering a life change similar to one you made?

Sarah A: Find the experiences that resonate with you to live a life of intention, not obligation.

Ali C: What is your hope in sharing Camp Friendship with Everthrive’s audience?

Sarah A: My hope in sharing information about Camp Friendship is to help people connect.  It’s what drives me.  Because maybe, just maybe, we offer something that people are searching for.  

Whether you went camping as a child or not, whether you feel isolated in your life or you’ve already found your tribe, Camp Friendship might fill a hole that someone is looking to fill.  

When I talk about the magic of camp, it’s true.  It’s in the air here…  

---

I’m very thankful for Sarah’s personal story about disconnecting from daily life, placing yourself in special communion with nature, and connecting with yourself and others who appreciate the essentials of life.

If you’d like to learn more about how Camp Friendship connects people and nature in a meaningful way, click any of the videos below.

Additionally, if you’d like to learn more about the concepts that Camp Friendship upholds, namely disconnecting to connect, communing with nature, or living simply, you might be interested in any of these related articles on Everthrive:

Disconnecting to Connect

Take the Slow Way

Listen to Nature

Word of the Year: Listen

Be Free

When you stay at Camp Friendship, you aren’t just renting a cabin. You’re immersing yourself in an outdoor experience with access to all our grounds provide – a private space to get away.

This video captures the spirit and philosophy of Camp Friendship in Virginia.

The Importance of Disconnecting to Reconnect

Written with a very special thanks to Netherthong Primary's Year Six students and their teacher Martin Clayton

The average person spends 10 hours online each day and sleeps less than seven hours each night. Worldwide, two-billion people own smartphones. Over a third of households subscribe to video-streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, or HBO Go. 

Just as drive-throughs satisfy our busy, automobile-driving lives, personal devices satisfy our busy, information-hungry desires.

In this modern era, we no longer need to wait to find the answers we crave or the social connections we desire. We no longer need to venture to the library to seek information or to Blockbuster Video for entertainment. We no longer have to wait days or weeks or months for our favorite shows and movies to air on TV. We can have it all right now without needing to leave our homes. Our devices are convenient outlets for explorations of all kinds. Boundless exploration is at our fingertips.

We have the option to be connected in at any time. But, is it really necessary? 

I have observed media habits for seven years as an educator. My students use iPads to access textbooks, notetaking applications, and external resources. iPads are an unfortunate requirement of the modern education system, since they capable of receiving notifications at any time from Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and various sports applications. Students seem to be dstracted at all times of day, not just during class. I see kids in the hallways, so mesmerized by their glowing screens that they ignore their friends and fail to look where they are walking. One particular student of mine regularly boasts about his uncanny ability to function normally at school despite his proclivity to binge-watch Netflix shows all night long!

What is lost when we are plugged in?

Spending more than 70 hours a week online doesn’t leave much time for anything else. It doesn’t leave any time to develop and pursue hobbies, spend time with loved ones, travel, or complete necessary household tasks. We barely have any time left to learn, to create, and to live our lives. We are neglecting our personal relationships, our chores, and even our safety by choosing to spend more time in a digital world. There is an increased risk of illness and obesity associated with the sedentary nature of technology use. When we spend too much time online, whether it is due to using the internet, email, social media, or texting, we can become sleep deprived and disconnected with reality, leading to numerous psychological ramifications. In addition, if our wireless connection is suddenly disrupted, we end up feeling anxious, helpless, lost, and alone.

To combat the rising dependence on technology, more and more people are gravitating towards something called a “digital detox.”

What is a digital detox?

A digital detox is a period of time when a technology user abstains from devices like smartphones, computers, wearables, or tablets in order to reconnect and ground themselves more fully to the physical world.

What’s the point of a digital detox?

Digital detoxes are geared towards breaking technology habits and rekindling relationships with the real world. This can be done through disconnection with the virtual world, since studies have shown that disconnecting from devices can reduce stress and increase productivity. Once disconnected, we can experience a more focused connection with ourselves and others. Digital detox practices are meant to increase our feelings of self-other awareness, to revive feelings of empathy for our fellow humans, and to restore balance to our lives.

Who is doing a Digital Detox?

Organizations such as Camp Grounded and Digital Detox make it easy for companies to organize tech-free retreats to give employees breaks from screen time. Virgin Airlines integrates digital detoxifying techniques into their workdays by having employees turn off their devices between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays. During this time of disconnection, employees engage in group brainstorming sessions while taking walks in nature. Virgin hopes these “Disconnection Wednesdays” will help foster feelings of work-life balance.

Digital Detox and Education

Even educational institutions like high schools and grade schools are including digital detoxes into their curriculum. The rationale for digital detoxes in schools is to help students use technology more responsibly since it is an inevitable part of the future. And, kids are the future!

I’ve often wondered what a tech-free week would do for the youth. What would it be like to force kids to leave technology alone for a week? Would students’ technology habits change once they completed the detox?

I had the recent privilege of connecting with the Netherthong Primary School in Holmfirth, England, where Year Six (apprx. 5th grade) students have just completed a week-long digital detox. These kids have never known a world without constant connection. After reaching out and chatting with Martin Clayton, a teacher of Netherthong Primary who recently led his students through a digital detox, I was able to gather some data about their experience.

Netherthong Primary School and the Digital Detox

“It’s good to take a break from digital things.” - Jake, student at Netherthong Primary (scroll down to view quotes from other students!)

Prior to the week-long digital detox, most of the children had heard about the practice, and they were confident they could abstain from technology, even though they claimed it was necessary to use certain tech items daily, such as computers, laptops, smartboards, video game systems, iPads, iPods, mobile phones, smart phones, and televisions. Most reported using some form of technology for at least two hours a day, and some students reported that they needed to use technology for up to 35 hours a week!

According to 10-year-olds...

How can personal technology be beneficial?

Most claimed that technology is fun, since it offers an interactive route of communication through social media, text, and email. One student reported that it is easier to call someone rather than talk in person. Others understand that the digital world is a good route to quick information, and one responded very astutely that going online is a practical aspect of working a job. They all reported that smartphones can help in an emergency.

How can personal technology be harmful?

I was surprised at how much they knew about this subject. In terms of the harmful effects of technology, these kids knew that technology can be easily abused. One student reported that personal devices gives users "too much freedom from responsibility;" others said that technology "makes it easy to send hurtful emails and texts," and that technological freedom often empowers cyberbullies. They were wary of “internet trolls” and the ease by which people can stalk others online. One student claimed that if used too much, technology can be addictive; in addition, staring at devices all day not only takes time away from the family, it can also damage the eyesight and the brain.

After completing the tech-free week, how did these kids feel about the digital detox?

In reflecting on the detox, the majority really liked it. One insisted that it was a “great experience!” Most felt that, while disconnecting was difficult, the digital detox was interesting and worthwhile. One “found it interesting to talk to people in real life.” In general, the break from technology forced them to be more social - it helped them to do things they normally wouldn’t do, like “go exploring,” "spend more time with family and friends," “read more books,” and “play board games.” A few kids even admitted they were more respectful to their parents while abstaining from technology.

Of course, most thought the detox was very difficult, but they understood that the trial was worth it. One student wrote that the digital detox “was hard but [she] enjoyed it and it made [her] less grumpy.” Many felt that it was hard to avoid the TV. One reported being really bored: there was “nothing to do all week!” Another “didn’t like that [he] couldn’t FaceTime [his] friends.” In general, while most parents joined their children in the detox, it was difficult for the students whose families didn’t support the detox. Only a few of the students would have liked to continue the cleanse for more than a week, but most found that a week was just right to understand the importance of disconnecting.

When I sent them the survey, they were off the cleanse for around three weeks, so I thought perhaps they had gone back to their original habits. However, to my surprise, they still felt the benefits of the digital detox.

How was the digital detox beneficial?

After the detox, students reported increased concentration levels and test scores. They felt more organized, and continued to spend more time with families instead of succumb to the draw of their devices. One reported feeling “more peaceful and more awake at school.” They continued to go outside more, and talk to people instead relying mainly on text. Most reported getting better quality sleep since they weren’t looking at their phones before bedtime. They all said they felt differently about using technology after the cleanse, and are determined to use technology more mindfully.

Even though my study of the effects of disconnecting was long-distance and not a scientific study completed by a reputable research organization, I think that the results can still be highly relevant and applicable to our lives. Believe it or not, the world will never be as analog as it is now, as technological advances are exponentially growing. The children at Netherthong Primary will agree, it's important to use technology meaningfully and intentionally, and not in ways that hurt ourselves or others. 

Hey Netherthong Primary! What would you like to tell Everthrive's readers about disconnecting from technology?

 “Cutting down on electrical items can be good for you.” - Toby

“It really helps you with tests and friendship.” - Emma J.

“Everyone should try it and see what a beautiful world we live in.” Emma F.

“[Technology] can be helpful, but addictive.” - Jessica

“You must try it, it will be super good if you did!” - Thomas

“It's a fun way of getting more involved with the past.” - Skye

“We are very lucky to have digital products so do not waste them.” - Lucas

“It’s hard but if you're determined I'll guarantee you that you will get through it and have a great experience.” – Will

“It’s hard but worth it.” - Oliver

“There are more things to do than using technology and although you might think [a digital detox] would be boring, it’s actually very interesting.” - Annie

“Don’t watch screens as much.” – Daisy

“It’s a good thing to do because you see things differently and seem more concentrated and involved in your family.” – Taylor

“You talk to a lot more people you normally don’t talk to.” – Owain

“It is very useful.” – Zara

“Try it because it can be fun and you will find out that you can sleep a bit more.” – Izzy

“It’s easy if everyone around you participates.” – Paddy

“It feels boring and fun at the same time.” – Anton

“You can learn new things about other people.” -James

“Do it because it’s worth it.” – Ethan

“I think we all should try it and it is actually a great experience.” – Geena

“Cutting down on electrical items can be good for you.” – Toby

“It helps your communication.” – Luc

“It’s very fun and interesting!” – Harry

“It helps your brain relax more when you don’t play on video games and things.” -Scarlett

“[Taking a digital detox] is better for you and you are involved more with everything.” - Jay

“Try the digital detox because you spend more time with your family.” – Isla

"Put Down the Phone and Live your Life!" - Cupid

I was recently at a New Belgium beer and bike festival (check out my post about Tour de Fat for Chicago Beer Geeks) where my husband and I spent many hours experiencing interactive spectacles, delicious beer, live music and amusements galore.

On our way to see Mucca Pazza, a Chicago based nerd-core band, we encountered a traveling karaoke stage. A mother and her young daughter were in the throes of the final verse from "Total Eclipse of the Heart." A large crowd gathered around the stage. All eyes were on Mom in all her glory.

The Handsome Little Devils were in charge of this stage. One of them, dressed as an angel, invited spectators up to the stage to sing, the other, dressed as cupid, worked the crowd. Cupid interacted with spectators, pleading with them to have a reaction, to "Feel something!" And, of course, we reciprocated with clapping and cheering, until Cupid's "Feel something!" became directed at one man in particular. This man was on his mobile device, and his phone was comically situated directly between his face and the stage, as he must have been deeply involved in sharing his experience with the world. 

Cupid called him out, "Put down the phone and live your life!" The man was visibly embarrassed - everyone was staring at him by this time - so he stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

Cupid's plea echoed through the crowd, we looked at one another first in amusement, then in denial (No, no I'm not on my phone! That guy is!) and then in collective affirmation. Yes, this statement applies to all of us. "Put down your phone and live your life!" became subliminal, other worldly, a message from a higher power. Yes, Cupid was right. We should all put down our phones and live our lives.

We all want to participate in the awesome stuff of life. But, nowadays, it seems like the awesome stuff doesn't exist unless we post it to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Periscope, Google+, and whatever new platform those internet gurus have created. Since we're so absorbed with online documentation of our lives, the importance of actually living is lost. It has become much more important to let others know that we are doing awesome stuff.

This idea links to a previous post of mine, entitled "Be Free" , in which I emphasize the importance of constructing definitive boundaries between ourselves and technology so that we can actually connect with experiences and people in the real world. Leave your phone at home, in your car, or be content that it is resting quietly in your pocket or purse. Turn on Airplane mode to reduce distractions. There are even applications you can download that can track your cell phone use.

The man on his phone at Tour de Fat wasn't doing anything wrong. He was exhibiting behaviors that exist in all of us. Sometimes life requires cell phone use, but most times, life does not. We all have one life to live, and we have the obligation to live our lives to the fullest. Life happens in real time, in real space, with real people and experiences. We shouldn't waste our times on our phones when we should be living our lives, out there*, in reality.

*I realize you may be reading this article on your phone or computer screen, so this world - the internet blogging world - should be referred to as "in here," while the real world is "out there." So, get out there! Put down the phone and live your life!

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