I keep feeling like I'm shutting down.

[DWSmith 0]

Do any of you get to the point of feeling like never turning on the computer, the TV, or the radio?  I just leave my phone on in case someone needs to contact me.

Maybe it's just due to the overload of crappy information constantly coming in from so many sources.

Is it just a healthy response to an unhealthy environment?  I'm thinking this may be a good thing to do for a while ... a long while.

I may start reading more books and listening to my music recordings.  I think I'll go have a conversation with my dog while we take another walk. He's my best friend.  😁

[RickZieger 0]

I use the mute button on the TV alot. Block many things on Facebook.

Alot of garbage coming form many sources. 

Will wave at you as we drive by Wednesday morning.

Rick

[essequamvideri 0]

I feel your pain. I personally find it interesting how this “Information Age” is supposed to be the greatest time in the history of mankind, but it has created more social problems than ever before. 
 

I’ve found with the upcoming election, the bad things happening across the globe, the destruction of our environment because of the use of tippet material, and the crappy (if it bleeds it leads) mentality of our terrible new feeds, it is no wound we have issues. 
 

Maybe this is the grumpy old man coming out, but why do we need to carry our phones all the time. You say it is because “what if someone needs us”. I call BS. I have a wife and family including our first young grandchild and a business. I’ve found there is nothing they can’t handle without me. If something tragic happens when I’m unavailable, then it will still happen whether I have my phone or not and I still can’t prevent it from happening. I just get to hear about it sooner. 
 

Take the time to unplug. It will give you a different perspective of what is important in you life. 
 

Cheers 

 

Michael

[niveker 0]

1 hour ago, DWSmith said:

Do any of you get to the point of feeling like never turning on the computer, the TV, or the radio?  I just leave my phone on in case someone needs to contact me.

I agree.  I ignore 99.9% of the internet, most people online are real turd-balls with their head stuck up their rear-ends. To me it seems everybody is just screaming "LOOK AT ME", for one reason or another.  So effing tired of it.  Back in my day I would have gotten a well-deserved slap up-side the head for acting like that.  

TV I hardly watch, and never what passes for news these days, on the boob-tube or online.

I quit listening to the radio a while back too, just the free music stations on that puck thingy, an occasional CD while in the car.    

I do have my phone nearby most of the time, but I'm not glued to it.  Me and my children, who are spread from Mass to California to Kuwait, text several times a day.  I'd miss that.  My brothers and sisters, of which I have 8, several times a week.  I'd miss that too. 

Although none of them really require an immediate response, it's nice to be in on the conversations when they really get going.  

[DWSmith 0]

I said I keep my phone turned on but I rarely carry it with me unless I might be somewhere on the property, get hurt, and need to let my wife know.

I'm beginning to do more stuff outside by myself or with my dog when the weather is better.

Niveker said, "To me it seems everybody is just screaming "LOOK AT ME", for one reason or another."  I agree completely.

This website is a breath of fresh air and is one of the few places I check lately.  (I check my email a couple times a week and I watch a news video on Youtube now and then.)  Civilized, well behaved individuals are here and I appreciate that.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I agree with all that was said above.

I actually gave up cell phones 20 yrs ago and very glad I did. I've got to the point where I don't even bother reading replies to news stories on social media, because it is just nasty people wanting to insult each other. I use to watch a lot of news while I worked building rods in the shop all the time (mostly independent journalists) but lately I have found I have even been getting away from doing that. Sometimes it just becomes too much and you need to just remove yourself from the constant barrage to retain your sanity.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

One of the most useful realizations I've ever had has been that "the news" is really no different than a soap opera - no matter when you tune in or how long it's been since you last did so, it's going to be, as my dad used to say, "Same old sh*t, different day".  A few big corporations making billions off of constantly stirring the pot, keeping everyone angry, anxious, and afraid. 

I do keep my phone on me, and it still gets way more of my time and attention than it should, but I'm working on it. I exchange texts with my sons, my sister, and a couple of friends on an almost daily basis, and those communications are always a net positive for me -- humor, support, catharsis, compassion; all the things that matter. I wouldn't willingly give that up. I'm also addicted to the ability to find the answer to nearly any question I might have or information about any random thing I might wonder about during the day. My wife and I have an app that lets us see each other's exact location at any moment, which is a comfort, and also a convenience as it eliminates a lot of texts of the "where are you?" or "are you off the water yet?"  nature. It's like most things in life -- the trick is to extract what benefit you can from it, while avoiding (or just learning to ignore) the bad. 

[DFoster 0]

I agree. A friend of mine says social media has made most of us anti social. 

[flytire 0]

due to medical reasons that i wont discuss here, i do keep my iphone on me during daytime activities and nearby in the evening

please keep all political topics out of this conversation. otherwise, it will be deleted