Mike Staver's Blog

I am amazed at how PDAs have taken control of our lives like some kind of cult. Recently I asked that people turn off their blackberries in a session I was doing. Not for some egocentric, want all the attention on me reason but to help them experience the anxiety involved when they can’t look at it constantly. The response at first was, “it’s no big deal, I can do that easily.” But as the session continued and we took a break the first thing they went for was their PDA. I was not talking to transplant surgeons or any kind of Dr. Have we really gotten to the place where we are so in need of “connection” that we cant be still for just a few minutes? I laugh because as i write this my blackberry is next to me. The red LED light is blinking and i can feel the urge to check it. I am certain it must be the president sending me a text to ask my opinion of the health care bill!! Yes, I am afraid we all are slowly moving down the overconnected path. If a guy in the Atlanta airport MUST answer his phone while at the urinal we have a problem. When my 18 year old step son can’t focus long enough to have a 10 minute conversation because the volume of texts is so huge he is compelled to respond then perhaps we have gone too far. I am all for technology and all for staying connected but perhaps true connection can happen when we turn off some of the noise.