Time to ditch those digital delusions

Time to ditch those digital delusions

My relationship with books is what you might call unhealthily zealous. After all, the place in which I spend hours at the mall is the bookstore. My favourite designer (Olympia Le Tan) makes clutches that look like books. My childhood fixation revolved around strategically hiding books when I was over my library borrowing limit, alongside incessantly rearranging my bookshelf, and ultimately, I flatly refuse to date guys who don't read. Reading seems to cover most aspects of my life and has, by far, been a life-long love affair that has yet to wither.

So with Bangkok being appointed this year's World Book Capital, my inner bookworm is doing the happy dance.

Nonetheless, the way I have been living these past few years seems to suggest otherwise. As a person who used to go through books as if they were tissues, my reading rate has dramatically dropped to barely five books per year.

Sure, the inescapable callings of work play a part, but it's a terrible truth to admit the true culprits, Facebook and my shrewd iPod, are the ones stealthily gorging up all my time.

As things shift from analogue to digital, life supposedly becomes easier. Ironically, all it seems to have done is clutter things up _ and none of it even matters that much. Instead of really enjoying a book uninterruptedly, I now have compulsions to check my Facebook account, as well as to collect my imaginary money, so I can sell imaginary objects in my imaginary fair.

I don't even derive that much pleasure from these games, but whether it is invisible addictive fumes these devices emit or just my own weak will, dependence on the digital has become a part of my life, whether I like it or not. Sad to say, I now have more things to do in a day, often unnecessary things, and I end up not really enjoying anything because I can't devote enough time to really savour it. I am actually on a self-imposed Instagram ban where I refuse to follow anyone whatsoever. Not only because I never really intended to share my (sometimes half-witted) pictures with the world, but because I don't want to have to keep tabs on what's happening in the world on top of my own hectic-enough life. Admit it: we all pledge to spend no more than five minutes on our devices, but are still glued to them an hour later.

On the bright side, one day in the future I will probably have a digital mirror that tells me I haven't completely removed make-up from some spots on my face: such are the great benefits of technological advancement! Then again, I don't want to be so dumbed down to the point that my IQ drops 10 points due to the lack of brain usage, where I won't get anything done without a robo-assistant. Birthdays used to be something I could reel off the top of my head, but ever since the advent of Facebook I have left all the remembering to that site and, inevitably, I have started to miss some dates on days I don't check my account. It's a mild start, but it clearly depicts our reliance on technology. All this would have been hunky dory if these gadgets would be reliable for life, but as Mum used to say (and boy, mums sure know best): the only thing you should place 100% dependency on is yourself.

Before I am completely sucked into the vortex of no return, I try to remind myself every now and then that all this technology is excess. I was completely fine five years ago without it and if my grandparents and forefathers before were fine without it as well, technology shouldn't be the centre of my life, nor should it feel like doomsday without it. (Yes, I've calmed down and stopped wringing my hands upon realising that I left my iPod at home.) Things have come to a pretty pass if something that is not even crucial or mandatory is keeping you from doing something you love to do most. Unfortunately for our generation of tech-slaves, we will simply have to go out of our way to "make" time for things if we ever want to see them happen.

In fact, I saw a graphic the other day that showed a wondrous-sounding product. It had a manual interface, sunlight-viewable display, multi-format compatibility, searchable alphabetised index, an offline mode, durable shockproof case and an infinite battery life. What sorcery or miraculous product is this? "aBook"! Hah, take that, you reading tablets, you!

Like I said, I forgot to bring my iPod today and it's disappointing how I literally need to be physically refrained in order to stay away from it, but hey, instead of running around in an infinite temple or feeding Homer imaginary pink donuts, I will be doing what I love most on the subway home today: reading.


Parisa Pichitmarn is a feature writer for the Life section.

Parisa Pichitmarn

Feature writer

Parisa Pichitmarn is a feature writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT