Technology is great, I use it for practically everything. But if I spend too much time glued to a screen, I start to feel hollow. After a while all the information becomes a blur and I get overloaded. I deleted my facebook awhile back because all the content was meaningless, and I logged on too often to just waste time. On hubski at least I read some informative articles, and twitter I get updates from bands, record labels, and news sources. I try to limit myself to sites that are informative and a good use of my time. I also refuse to get a smartphone. I spend too much time online as it is, I know myself and if I got a smartphone I would be glued to it 24/7. I like just walking around and observing the scenery. Observing interesting people, listening to snippets of conversation, smelling smells etc. I get more out of that, in terms of relaxation and refreshment, then I would glued to a screen. I think technology is amazing, and I hope it keeps evolving. But I also hope people are able and willing to recognize it's limitations and the harmful effects it can have on us. I believe, however, that people who are able to do this will be few and far between. I'm pessimistic I know, but I think society will get sucked farther and farther down that rabbit hole, to what end I don't know.
Yes, it does seem that few people will realize the harmful effects. I see Faber's wife in Farenheit 451 all over the place (she was constantly listening to her in ear radio or immersed in her wall to wall tv set than communicating with her husband). I kind of cringe when I see people at the dinner table, both on their phones, not talking to eachother :/. Also, if you dont mind me asking, does your occupation / lifestlye warrent having a smartphone? If so, do you feel left out / behind at times?
I don't mind at all! I'm a student, so I have no pressing need to have a smartphone. Maybe that will change once I start a professional career, but I'll cross that bridge once I arrive at it. I should add that another big concern is the contract that comes with smartphones. I just can't justify spending money on a device (plus contract and data) that does the same thing my laptop does. I still wouldn't get one even if it were cheaper, but that is another consideration for a poor college student as myself. As for the social aspect, I've found I can get by through texting and word of mouth. There certainly isn't any stigma about not having one, though it is becoming rarer and rarer to find people who don't have a "dumb phone". Then again, I'm not the type of person to care anyways if someone were to actually comment negatively about not having a smartphone. I honestly don't see how it would add anything to my life that I already don't have. So to directly answer your question, no I do not feel left out or behind the times. If anything I feel more ahead of the curve for rejecting smartphones.