The Invention Tension

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where  there is love, joy, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     The truth is that over the weekend we decided to do an experiment in our home. I wanted to have a phone free weekend. So my son agreed to switch my phone off and keep it safe, and guess what? It worked. I was able to have a phone free weekend. It was actually quite difficult for the first few hours or so, but I found myself telling him to keep it with him for another day. This little experiment of ours was actually quite liberating, and it can actually reveal an example of how as individuals we have become so addicted to our phones. The feeling of emptiness, to the feeling of becoming liberated indicated that sense that there is a change that is happening to the brain. There is a sense of attachment, to the sense of feeling a loss.​

     The emotional roller coaster alerted me. Not just over the weekend, but for a while. This is why I always try to arrange for mental breaks. Especially when I know that I need to give full attention to another task / activity, such as completing my readings, spending time with the children, or even when I take a walk. I enjoy taking photos when I take the time for a walk. But sometimes on purpose I will shut down my device while I am walking, especially when I go into nature. I will sometimes pause where I would of taken a photo and use this moment to take everything in with my eyes, sort of capture everything with my photographic memory. I find this task really replenishing.

River Beauty - Arizona, United States Of America.

     Whilst I have spoken about shutting down my phone and taking brain breaks, these are I believe absolutely necessary for the purpose of our mental well - being, yet I also understand that we are living in a technologically driven world. We cannot do away with technology, it is simply about managing our time with technology.

     This is the beauty of innovations. When we invent something through creating a product, what we have actually done is taken the time to find a solution for a problem. An example could be the phone. The positives can be seen as extensions. The phone allows us to communicate instantly. We can take photos, call family at a global level, keep connected with our children, to make sure that they are safe when we are going about our daily lives. There are so many other features, and it is needless for me to say, because we are all accustomed to our phones. 

     With the extensions (positives) also arrive amputations (negatives). Amputations can be seen as what is taken away or even be related to the term: opportunity cost. What is the cost involved of these extensions? These could be that our data is being stored, surveillance, and hackers. Third parties can access data in an instant. We can relate the amputations to my earlier example of feeling a sense of addiction, busyness, and feeling bombarded with a plethora of information, sometimes more than we need.

     Another example can be that of the automobile. Whilst we have seen the beauty of transportation, it allows us to travel, journey, provide comfort, etc. Transportation arrives with the cost of the pollutants to the environment. However, I don't want that amputations to be viewed as negatives at this point. At this point I want them to be seen as once again another problem, that requires a solution. This is where we can think of methods for improvement, another chance to be innovative and creative. I actually see the amputations as a gateway for industry to design, develop, and be creative.

Diagram to illustrate my thinking and reflection

     Whilst I have written about the positives and the negatives that arrive with the offering of two examples. This way of finding the +/- can be related to anything. Not just in the broad sense of industry, manufacturing, but in the micro sense of the self. How are we to be with the self? 

Technologies are here to stay, there will be more and more innovations. Technological and social innovation is what pushes and propels societies further. I am not saying to do away with technology. I am saying that we must find ways and methods to be with technology, and also find ways to once again be with the self. To be with our heart.

Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to all beings, my thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

​Notes: These thoughts are derived from my journey of learning, teaching and personal reflections. Originally hand - written on March 28th 2017

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Image 3 - Key note creation
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