This will be the last entry in my short-lived blog, for a long time, I hope. The few of you who actually read this may already know why, but I'll explain anyway.
I just configured my email to send an automatic reply to all future emails that I receive. The details of the email are unimportant, but the basic idea is this...I'm going to experiment with removing myself from the interweb for a while, and see what happens. I will still be reachable, of course, and would love to receive a real letter in the mail from my friends. All mail will be returned by myself, and from now on, when I'm out in the world, I'll keep in touch with postcards and handwritten notes sent to my friends.
I could wax philosophically about how technology has corrupted society and how everyone exists in a tiny tiny world within themselves, removed from real life. But that's not what this is about. This about me, and me only. I want to see what it's like, to see if it's possible to go back in time a little bit.
I want to experience real things. I just gave my digital camera to Mia in favor of a cheap film camera I bought. I've never owned a film camera, but will always remember that the most exciting and entertaining picture viewing occurred when my Mom would bring home developed photos and we'd all gather round for a look. Everyone can admit that it's much more fun to receive a hand-written postcard in the mail from a friend than it is to receive an email you'll probably forget about in 10 minutes anyway. There is something to grabbing a magazine with real pages and plopping on the couch to flip through the articles and read something tangible.
There was an interesting article written by someone about how technology has increased our choices in life, including everything from a pair of shoes to the color of a car. The thesis was that people are more and more depressed because of the amount of choice we have, and having to choose adds stress to everyone's life. This is a little off the subject, but interestig nonetheless. Imagine if you only had to pick from two different brands of laundry detergent. It'd be pretty simple right?
Anyway, I have larger motives for this decision as well, most importantly the practicality. I'll be heading to the Caribbean this summer for three months and will be out of touch from the interweb anyway, so I figured I might as well start now, and get some practice. There is also some satisfaction to be had in actually looking up a phone number and speaking to someone rather than sending a voiceless, lifeless email, whatever the circumstances. And I've found that I enjoy writing much more when I sit down with a pencil and a notebook and just write. Granted no one else can see it, but just send me a postcard and I'll gladly send you a hardcopy of my journals if you're that interested. Or you can read my book when it's published.
I know I'm going to sound stupid for doing this, and will probably be ridiculed that it won't work anyway, and why should I want to do this in the first place. I don't know, maybe I'm bored. But it should be an interesting experience, and I hope I actually do get something real in the mail. Maybe it will add perspective to things, maybe it will force me to go outside more often, I don't know. The point is, I don't get anything particularly important in my email anyway, and all the internet has done for me lately is distract me from things I could be doing in real life. This idea is probably the product of reading too many sea stories from Moitessier, but his simplified ideas really hit a nerve with me. Just take a long hard think about this idea before you cast it off as ridiculous, and think about what life was like before the internet. If you want to join my revolution, please do.
Send me a postcard. I'll be the first to reply with a handwritten letter. Adios.
