Odds are, you’ve probably been challenged with the philosophical question, “Which one of your five core senses could you do without?” (You know, sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste). In reality, if you had to give up one, you would be at a handicap as compared to the rest of society.
A similar concept can also apply to electronic communication. With our texting, internet surfing, blogging, YouTube postings, Facebook updates and twittering, branding our personalities and re-branding others, there are some definite repercussions on our intellect, personalities and behavior compared to what might have existed 10 or more years ago without these technological advancements.
As an interesting, non-scientific research project, I ask you to choose one of the following handicaps that you would be most comfortable living without as it relates to electronic communication/social media. Post your selection here and MSI will post a final tally in a few weeks.
A. No more txting 4 me.
Rules/Regs: In addition to never texting anyone, you also can’t view any text messages sent to you. Texting in general is disabled on your phone. It’s all back to actual conversations and face-to-face interactions for you. Might be a good idea to stock up on some mints…
B. I will log-off my email for life.
Rules/Regs: Whether for professional or personal use, your email accounts will be permanently frozen. While having to leave your desk to walk down the hall to communicate to co-workers could add to your “friendly-factor” around the office and add a few thousand more steps to your pedometer, how would your communication with your clients or vendors change? Also, a trip to the post office is in order, you’re going to need some stamps!
C. I will “unfriend” Facebook forever.
Rules/Regs: No more logging on for your daily fix, scouting for past classmates or former loves, telling your network of friends that you prefer wheat bread over white bread or taking a quiz that proves you are the champion at recognizing “Movies from the 80s”. Your newsfeed ends now, my non-Facebook-friend. And you can’t even change your status update to “MIA.”
D. I will turn the channel on YouTube to Never.
Rules/Regs: When everyone else in the free world is talking about the clip of a guy losing an arm to an alligator or a news anchor going postal on camera, you have to just hope it appears on the evening news or there is a still shot in the newspaper the next morning. You can no longer experience immediate gratification when it comes to wanting to watch videos of puppies sleeping. You are not allowed to look at YouTube, or open any links sent to you of videos on YouTube. YouWhat? That’s right – it’s no longer in your vocabulary.
E. I have Googled my last Google.
Rules/Regs: Never again can you use Google or any other internet search engine to instantly find out whether a peanut is a nut or a legume (and I’m not telling), get a recipe for any type of macaroon you could possibly be craving, find a map with the location of your dinner date or even zoom in on a photo of your house taken by the amazing Google Earth satellites. You may just want to answer the door the next time the Encyclopedia Britannica salesperson comes knocking…
