Put This in Your Pipe
You can file this under the 'Put this in your pipe and smoke it' category. A study coming out of London reveals that our 24x7 e-everything lifestyle may be more harmful to our health than marijauna:
In 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King's College London University, monitored the IQ of workers throughout the day.Now, having never smoked a joint or done drugs, I have no idea whether it really has this little impact on intelligence (my initial reaction was, "Come on, this has got to be full of crap!" But then I got to thinking - all my knowledge of this issue is the secondhand, non-scientific sort, passed along by people who already have made up their minds: Don't do it! It's bad for you! They are probably right; at the same time, how do we explain the results of "scientific" studies like this? Anyone have firsthand experience in these matters?)
He found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10 points -- the equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana.
Click here for the rest of the article...
That said, I have plenty of experience in the other side of the equation. Having worked as a software engineer for the past 14 years though, I know what its like to work 80 hr weeks, do the whole startup thing, etc. It definitely takes a huge toll over the long haul (but its also incredibly addictive as well).
So what have I done about it? Decided to work my way through seminary! Hello?!? What does that say about MY IQ?
The point the article makes about technology is really true - we tend to view it as this "messiah," making our lives better and better. There is, however, a serious "downside" to "always-on"; God designed us to need rest, to need peace and quiet etc.
Up until a 100 years ago, most people went to bed when the sun went down, and got up when it rose; there was a lot more opportunity for thought, rest, and reflection. So we invented lightbulbs (so you can stay up later), and TVs (so you can "unwind" while industry hawks its wares to you in the comfort of your own home), and cell phones (so you are always accessible), and laptops (so you can take your work home with you), and ... you get the idea.
Frankly, I'm a little tired of it all (and where am I writing this? On a BLOG, on a Saturday morning, when I should be...WORKING ON A PAPER FOR SCHOOL!!!).
Argh! I epitomize that which I hate! *Sigh.*
Time to go sit on the porch and smoke my pipe...but there goes my cell phone about that deadline on Tuesday! Gotta run...duty calls!
posted by Pilgrim in Progress @ 8:21 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I’m always weary when people start comparing things to pot or pot to things. I will not go into too much detail about this, but I will say that I think that there are just certain things that you cannot do on pot. The biggest potheads in the world will tell you this. So, I think that we are comparing Apples to Oranges.
In saying that, I am reminded of a conversation that I had with a friend a week or so ago. We were talking about the fact that technology allows us to know more people but know them less. Like, I chat and email people from across the country that I have never met and never will meet. But in doing so, I may be taking time away from actually have face time with my actual friends in a 10 mile radius, or my parents in a 50 foot radius.
In essence, we create this little bubble around us. We pretend that we are expanding our horizons, but we are really closing ourselves off to the world. I learned this one the hard way.
And the whole cell phone thing, well that’s just rude. I love my cell phone, but I hate this cell phone culture. I hate bad loud music that people set their ring tones to. But that is just me.
I love that 2nd to the last paragraph Charles - that term 'bubble' is a great way of describing it. It's not necessarily bad to have this expanded set of 'virtual' relationships, but there's still no substitute for the 'real deal' face to face kind of thing. And one of the things we need to make that work is "time"...
I'm looking forward to actually trying to make more "time" this summer just to relax and think and build friendships (and fish! :-)
Charles,
I agree with you 200% about the cell phone culture - bad ring tones, cell phones going off in class or other inappropraite places, and people having private conversations in public places.
Okay, random rant!
Instead of turning your cell phone off for special occaisons, why not only turn it on for special occaisons.........
Of course, if your occupation requires that you are always accesible, that is another situation.
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