disconnect to reconnect: the summer happiness project

A new mission statement for a new period of The Happiness Project:

source

Folks, I'm aware we are living in the pinnacle of the digital age. Everything we do is run, controlled, maintained, or monitored by something technological. And while this is convenient, and certainly makes life easier, it's taken away from the old-world simplicity of generations past. One of the most unnerving realizations I've had is the lack of face time contact. Social interaction has been replaced by Facebook chat and text messages. To me, it's taken away from the thrill of being with people. Pen-and-paper communication, something once so common, has been demoted to something of a novelty, something quaint and foreign. We reach for the Blackberry instead of the stamps. Our cell phones have become new appendages; they are now extensions of our hands. As funny as this poster is below, it seems to be the societal norm and totally acceptable.

"look into the eyes of another person..." This breaks my heart. Look at couples out to dinner, friends meeting for coffee, or family gatherings. Is anyone really talking? Or are they playing Angry Birds under the table, or BBM-ing?
"the arrival of a snippet of trivial text holds promise of unimagined pleasure..." I feel so foolish reading this, because how often do I feel my phone buzz and reach for it like a precious winning lottery ticket? I am just as, if not more, guilty of cell-phone over usage as the next person. I sleep with my iPhone nightly. Well, I say no more. I'm stopping this nonsense in an effort to really connect with people. The phone will be staying off longer, will remain in the purse during meals, and will not surface while I'm with another person.

Disconnect to reconnect, darlings!