Should you do a digital detox?

It seems like every day there's a new story about the harmfulness of today's digital world, with social media often being singled out as the worst:

Facebook is bad for you - Get a life! says the Economist

Teens are reading less, says Time, "most easily explained by technological advances"

Nearly 6 years ago Nicolas Carr asked in The Atlantic "Is Google Making Us Stupid".

And just today, NPR asked for listeners' stories of digital detoxing attempts -- how, not if, because clearly everyone knows such a detox is needed.

So why did Richard Dennen's piece in Sunday's You Magazine, "Note to selfie: #I must give up social media" catch my eye?

In the article he reveals a bet he's made with a friend that he could give up social media "no Instagram, no Facebook, no Twitter -- for a whole month.

He then references common concerns about social media, in particular the addictive nature and the 'detachment' from our real selves that comes from only presenting your more 'perfect' version to the world, and spending more time looking at a screen than being 'in the moment'.

Yep, stuff I've seen before, same story, different publication. And -- full disclosure -- things I've tried to be conscious of myself. I've laughed at myself for being excited about the number of 'likes' I've received for a single post, or deliberated at length over just the right filter.

But in the end what I appreciated most was that he (spoiler alert!) LOST THE BET. He gave up 48 hours in. And even better, he had no shame about doing so. There was no rapture over the brilliance of even the 48 'quiet' hours he'd had. Just acceptance.

I loved the honesty, and hey, I'd be posting selfies as well if I made it to the Vanity Fair Academy Awards after party.  Congrats, @richarddennen, you've got a new follower - so keep those selfies coming, I won't mind. (and if you want to know when I get around to alphabetizing my lipsticks, just feel free to follow me back,   I wouldn't want you to feel left out!)










Npr - http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/06/23/324892657/digital-detox-step-one-step-away-from-the-phone

Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2662764/Note-selfie-I-social-media.html#comments