Smartphone Revolution

It's pretty vexing to work out how, at the beginning of the year, I became an unintentional hero. People sort me out on the school driveway to ask me how I was doing and what on earth made me do something they perceived as so drastic!  This fated status latest several months much to my amazement and I never got over being surprised at people's reactions to me which told me more about them than it actually did about my digital abstinence.  And yet here I find myself at the end of the year and the tide has been turning for a few weeks now. It seems as I approach the end of my self-imposed challenge without having given in by picking up a mobile that people see that as a threat somehow.  Were they all expecting me to fall?  Were they really of the opinion that it was not possible in this day and age and especially as I have two teenage sons? 

Look, it's doable and as well as that it's been bloody enjoyable too. Why would this seem abhorrent to others? 

Never a conformist, I am a free spirit and believe in everyone living the life they are here to live. Who wouldn't want to encourage themselves to become liberated and free? I'm not a unicorn, I'm not a leper either - it's not catching - my friends fall into two camps now - it's as if I've parted the water into the 'I'd love to give up my smartphone too, but I just couldn't' and the other camp of, 'It's unrealistic and inconvenient'. I remember when people panicked if they found out you were a vegetarian years ago - it's simply a personal a lifestyle choice. We all have the ability and the rite to bespoke our lives to fit our personal choices and that’s how I organically found myself without a mobile phone this year. I'm simply walking my talk.

I do still feel that I am being treated rather like a curiosity who should be included in Barnum's The Greatest Showman film - along with the bearded lady and the tattooed man and all these marvelous unique characters I'd happily hop into the show ring with and join in their tribal dance celebrating uniqueness with as much vigor and passion, 'This is Me!'

I forecast more Tech Avengers choosing to break free from the digital shackles and to share the truth about how they are deliberately designing apps to trick you into addiction. 30% of the people aged between 13 and 83 who have answered my questionnaire have admitted that they maybe addicted and yet 70% of them would not consider giving it up?  I feel there is a rejection rather than a denial of the digital addiction as it's such a strong word and mostly associated with drugs and alcohol - yet what is the difference?  Digital addiction is here, across generations, a true phenomenon which needs addressing with our minds as well as eyes wide open.

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL RELATIONSHIPS:

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