Thoreau Challenge: Post #3

I made it, finally. My week without technology officially ends tonight at midnight and I’ll be honest, I cannot wait to check my Facebook and watch some T.V. before I go to sleep. Believe it or not, these last few days have been a lot easier than any of the others. I thought that maybe the anticipation would get to me, making this last day or two really difficult but in reality, I’m not as excited as I thought I would be to start reading my text messages and checking my Facebook notifications. It’s almost like this has become normal in a sense! But obviously it’s not going to stop me from hovering over my computer tonight and sending text messages like there’s no tomorrow, which poses an interesting question: Even if I’m not necessarily thrilled at the idea of getting back to technology, having realized how very possible it is to live without it, then what’s the big rush to get back to using it? It’s just a question that I’m asking to myself as my last day comes to an end. I know I can survive without the television and computer, so why am I likely to just go back to using them 24/7 when, like I said, I don’t NEED to. I’m realizing that the answer, for me at least, is comfort. Technology has become something of a comfort zone for not only myself, but also our entire generation. I think that each one of us would admit that we don’t always NEED the television on or Facebook open when doing homework, but that it helps create an atmosphere that we’re comfortable in. For example, sure, I could turn the lights off like I did this past week when it’s time to go to sleep and lay there in the silence of darkness but instead, it would be much more comfortable and therefore, preferable if the t.v. was left on for awhile until I was actually tired and ready to fall asleep. I realize I don’t necessarily need a lot of the technology out there, but that I use it because it’s comforting. It’s what I know. It’s what I’m used to. Anyway, the point is, I made it through the week and I’m glad I chose to partake in the challenge. It gave me time to just think, which can sometimes be hard in the world we live in. I partook in a similar “challenge” just over Christmas break when I left the country for a week; no computers, no cell phone, ect. I must say though that being on a vacation without the stuff and being here in “real life” are two entirely different spectrums. I’m sure you can guess which one was more of a challenge.