Thursday, January 5, 2012

Too many screens?

I've been thinking about screens lately--computer, tv, ipad, cell phones and others like that--and I don't know how to feel about them.  As someone who blogs and reads blogs, and who is involved in online work, both volunteer and business, I spend a lot of time in front of my iMac screen.  Sometimes way too much time, in my opinion.  But it's hard to pull myself away.

The average American spends at least eight and a half hours a day in front of a screen of one kind or another.  This piece of information comes from an article I read (online!) by journalist Pico Iyer titled The Joy of Quiet.  Iyer says that screens have invaded every moment of our life and information comes at us so fast that we're rushing to keep up to date with it all--to our detriment.


I feel that way some days.  The sign that I'm too fragmented comes as a tension in my stomach.

Thankfully I have two dogs who pull me away into nature, and a love of reading books that don't have flashing mail icons.  I have my garden and my home and my artwork to keep things in balance.  But I've just signed up for an on-line photography course which means more clicking and viewing.  Does the camera's screen count as screen time too?

What do you think?  Is it all too much?


2 comments:

  1. Hi Joanna, It's only too much if you let it over-run your life. You mention what's important to you - many don't have that focus because they can't tear themselves from the screens. I'll be interested to learn more about your photography class. Which is it?

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  2. Hi Barb, I'm taking Kat Sloma's course at kateyestudio.com
    From looking at your photos though, I'd say you already have the eye!
    J

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