GLOBAL – AUGUST 2011 – In a world of increasing dominated by the digital, most people in urban areas find themselves attached to a device for large portions of the day. In cities and suburbs all over the world, people spend anything from twelve to eighteen hours everyday surfing the web on their computers or smartphones, playing games online or on gaming consoles, though studies have proved the negative outcomes of spending large amounts of time in the digital world.
With all of this technology consuming our lives, can we truly switch off? This is the challenge put forth by the GOOD Company for the month of August.
The challenge calls for a complete separation from the internet: switching it off at 8:00 pm on weekdays. That means no emailing or blogging, no social network sites and no online gaming for 30 days. Simple in essence, but difficult in execution.
Though this challenge is the most recent of its kind, it most certainly is not the first. Both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have reported on similar internet-limiting movements, citing The Information Overload Research Group as well as resorts, hotels and travel companies promoting technology-free vacation packages. These movements have even inspired the creation of a commemorative day in the United States, the National Day of Unplugging, which took place from sundown to sundown on March 4 to 5 this year. The benefits of undertaking this challenge are clear, but are the parameters reasonable? Take the challenge and find out for yourself.
