Maybe We’re Too Connected?

I spend a silly amount of time online every week.

I’ve got accounts on most of the mainstream social networks (God I hate that term!), as well as twitter, jaiku, loads of fora, mailing lists and of course instant messaging systems.

My typical daily routine used to involve checking my email before I’d even had a shower in the morning, so this cartoon from XKCD brought a smile to my face:

But joking aside I sometimes do wonder if I am spending simply too much time online.

Fifteen years ago I didn’t even own a computer. My job, which was in food and beverage, involved me interacting with the public all day long, 5 days a week. The idea that I would have “friends” in Australia, US, Canada etc., etc.,  “chatting” to me at all times of the day or night would never have even entered my head.

I used to write letters to friends and relatives to keep in touch.

Nowadays I rarely write letters of any kind, yet I’m in touch with people all the time.

In some ways all these “connections” are fantastic, but in other ways I miss the simplicity.

I miss sitting beside an open fire and reading a good book. (While I still read I currently don’t have access to an open fire!)

I’m not complaining. I enjoy what I do, which is why I do it, but I still think it’s important to take stock of things from time to time.