Technology has made certain aspects of my life considerably more productive than before the advent of the smart phone. When I was in kindergarten and my dad was pursuing his Bachelor of Education, he would take me to the library at the University of Lethbridge to pull library index cards. At night, he would pull his Brother electronic typewriter on to the dining table and meticulously write research papers using stacks of paper books (along with a great deal of precision, time, and whiteout). In 2017, I am able to access enormous digital libraries with the touch of a button. I can use an app to create a works cited page in any format, and can review my work with peers or mentors instantaneously. I can take online classes, and have even taken a class via Skype following the birth of my twins.
Technology extends far beyond my postsecondary experience. My life feels incredibly busy, so it’s a relief when I can take my lunch hour to order groceries online, and have them ready for pickup after class. Technology has improved my life in measurable, calculable ways. I was able to lose a great deal of weight a few years ago by looking up new recipes online, and researching everything about health and wellness that I could find. My kids regularly Facetime with their grandparents; I can pay bills in the space of a minute; I can store hundreds of video clips of my children growing up. For me personally, the most important improvement technology has brought to my life is the opportunity to be presented with other ways of knowing and being in the world. I grew up in a subculture with an extremely conservative worldview, and believed into early adulthood that women with families should avoid pursuing higher education. It was only with technology that I was introduced to stories, articles, and ideas that radically challenged my schemas, and replaced one way of thinking with a more generous and open one. I feel that technology has helped me exit my twenties as a different person than when I began it. Unfortunately, I am still not convinced that technology is all that it is cracked up to be (in particular, smart phones). I find it highly disconcerting when groups of students congregate over their phones, put in ear buds, and put a virtual wall around themselves. Body language is such an important part of who we are, and I am convinced that this message says “stay away from me” while being a part of a group of people. Humans are made for community and connection, and we are replacing the opportunities for both of these things in favor of their digital counterparts (particularly the performativity of identity and community on social media). In addition, I believe that smart phones are corroding our collective capacity for stillness and silence, and impact our ability to hold space for our own thoughts, and for boredom. In my personal experience, I have found that I have lost my capacity to read or think deeply for long stretches, requiring constant brief distractions from social media. I have a hard time being focused in the moment with my children, my phone never far away. While technology has its very calculable benefits, it has come at a cost. For me personally, removing social media applications on my phone and lowering my data plan has helped me be more present in my own life, have great “real life” conversations in moments of waiting or boredom, and cultivate the community and connection that are so important for the human experience. I am – very slowly – regaining some of my capacity for stillness. Although this may not be the right approach for everyone, I am confident that this decision has helped me to balance the use of digital media in my life, and to use technology in ways that are in line with my identity, values, and the person I want to be.
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I have mentioned earlier in this blog that I am an INFJ. The “J” in this personality type is both a blessing and a curse, as it essentially (and correctly) defines me as a person obsessed with micro and major goals; I am constantly ruminating as to how to accomplish them. The ‘curse’ in this is that as soon as those goals are met, my mind is instantly on to the next one.
My husband is the opposite; he is an ISTP. The “P” simply means that he is extremely relaxed about his goals in life, lives in the moment, and simply rolls with the punches when life throws him a plot twist. There is something to be admired in the relaxed manner he carries himself, knowing he has already accomplished his goals: to get up, eat breakfast, and see what the day brings. But… I can assure you that my obsession with goals has taught me more about grit, passion, and perseverance than I ever imagined possible. Being able to visualize the good outcomes of the day to day minutiae of living can give us strength to do the hard work of showing up for our lives. When my twins were newborns and would keep each other up all night, I would visualize how wonderful it would be when they were a bit older, and my hard work of being up all night would pay off with confident, secure, and happy children. When my eyes would start burning from staying up late into the evening studying, I would (and do) visualize myself picking vegetables, reading poetry in a hammock, and watching my girls chase chickens in my future backyard. It will be a backyard I will be able to afford because of my hard, unglamorous work of the moment. This goes beyond my personal experience, and into my professional life as well. Showing up early for the day, even when it is difficult and parking is terrible? Begin with the end in mind. Is it taking longer than it should to understand an assignment? Begin with the end in mind. Is a student driving me to the edge of reason? Begin with the end in mind. For me, this “end” looks like a lifetime of investing in the lives of young people. It looks like ending a long career with the knowledge that I have designed a life I love, and that has made the world just a little bit better. But this beautiful “end” does not come about without the gritty, day-to-day realities that create the final product. I have an image that often plays through my mind when I consider my own daughters. The people they have become and are becoming did not happen magically, nor did it happen overnight. They became the kids they are because my husband and I laid a foundation, stone by stone, of sleepless nights, quality time with them, moments, memories, unglamorous grunt work, the daily laying down of our own egos. It is only by laying down these stones that we have helped to build three little castles. Begin with the end in mind. |
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