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Addiction to technology “is placing the screen as an object of ‘mass subculture’, alienating the relation to our own body, and more generally to the physical world.”

Antonie Geiger is a 20-year-old photographer from France who has perfectly outlined how our electronics are sucking the life out of us. They consume out attention tricking us into thinking it is about affection and all the while distracting us from living our present physical lives.

When we are not grounded in the present moment we are disconnecting. Since many of us are on a path of seeking connection we need to remember to keep our electronic tools in balance with our interpersonal connections.

Antonie Geiger said the project was a part of some of the research he is doing in order to better understand this “mass subculture” where we are addicted to screens. We alienate anyone physically around us while we are fooled to think we are really connecting.

“Mankind, which in Homer’s time was an object of contemplation for the Olympian gods, is now one for itself. Its self-alienation has reached such a degree that it can experience its own destruction as aesthetic pleasure of the first order.” –Walter Banjamin

Health Concerns:

Recently we talked about how the electronic fields around us are being pulled into our cells. These electrical signals could be interfering with our cells signals and in turn causing health problems.

Studies have shown us that using mobile phone frequently can cause impaired memory and concentration, fatigue, dizziness, headaches and disturbed sleep.

All of these medical issues come from radiation sickness and the radiation comes from the mobile phone. There are now also concerns in the medical world that some people may be developing electrosensitivity or IEI-EMF when they are over exposed to the electromagnetic fields of their phone.

Back in 2014 58% of the states World Health Organization advised the public to reduce their exposure to radio frequencies.

They advise that we use some sort of hands-free kit so the phone isn’t close to our bodies, to try and keep our phone calls shorter, avoid making phone calls when your battery or signal is low (radiation is higher when the phone signal is low), and to use phones what are designed to have a low specific absorption rate (SAR).

Other countries have already started to protect their children from over-exposure to electronics. For example in France WiFi was banned in toddlers’ nurseries and in 2015 Taiwan implemented a ban on toddlers under the age of two using a mobile phone or other similar electronic device.

Medical and psychological studies have shown that heavy cell phone use increases sleep disorders in men and increases depressive symptoms in both women and men.

People who are constantly reachable via their cell phone were much more likely to report issues with mental health. Maybe being constantly available isn’t good for us.

It isn’t just cell phones, in a study of men they found that overuse of computers causes sleep problems.

Using computers and other glowing screens at night is also linked with stress, depressive symptoms and sleep disorders in women and men.

If you work or play on a computer for long periods of time without breaks you are at risk for sleep problems, stress, and depressive symptoms.

The studies also found that those who use bother computer and phones excessively increased all of the above health risks.

Social Concerns

Statistically, in the US we are glued to our phones. We actually use them a lot more than we are aware. It becomes this deep-rooted impulse. Have you ever noticed that when you forget your phone you have an empty feeling? This pull, like an addiction, is very similar to all other distraction based addictions.

Magic happens in the present moment and yet we are seemingly terrified of being here.

70% check their phones in the morning within just one hour of getting up

56% check their phones before going to bed

48% check their phones over the weekend

51% constantly check their phones during vacation

44% reported they would feel very anxious and irritable if they didn’t interact with their phones within a week [Wikipedia]

Instead of having face-to-face conversations we are replacing it with cyber chats.

Psychologist Lisa Merlo says, “Some patients pretend to talk on the phone or fiddle with apps to avoid eye contact or other interactions at a party.”[12] According to a survey made by Gazelle, “More than 25% of respondents reported that they ‘almost always’ use their smartphone while in a social setting such as during a meal or during a party. In addition, 58% said they use it ‘usually’ or ‘occasionally’ during these settings.”

Remember phones and electronics aren’t in themselves bad, they are just tools. We need to make sure that we are using tools as they are designed for but also make sure that we are honoring the people around us. One of the best gifts you can giver a person is your full presence when you are with them.

Now I want to leave you with an awakening message from the great philosopher Alan Watts who spoke about our addiction to distraction. This will bring to light the fact that phones aren’t the real issue, our issues with distraction are.

Perhaps we need to all slow down, pause, and practice mindfulness in order break the cycle of addiction.

Sources:

antoinegeiger.com

University of California – Davis. “Sixth sense: How do we sense electric fields?.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 October 2015.

en.wikipedia.org

huffingtonpost.com

Pictures by: ANTOINE GEIGER

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