The Disconnect
About two years ago in my junior year of college I attended the Flash in the Can Conference in Toronto. I had a great time seeing everything that this industry has to offer. Hearing some of the best designers and developers speak about what they love to do. It helped serve as a big inspiration on what I want to do but what I wanted to be. During this time I learn a lesson that didn’t actually come from the speakers.
I remember when a group of my friends and I were waiting for the first discussion of the morning. We had decided to go into one of the internet cafes and quickly everyone went to a computer to check their email, rss feeds…basically the usual. I sat down but quickly realized that I didn’t need to do this. I was at this conference to have fun, hear some great people and pretty much not touch a computer at all. If anyone sent me an email or some news was showing in my river of rss then, it can wait until I returned home. I needed this disconnect from the internet. Maybe it was the stress from projects after projects but I wanted to let my mind think of something else other than flash, design, and a thousand pixels on the screen.
I brought this up because I feel like today, more than ever, it’s important to take into consideration. If you really think about it today we are consumed to the max with the Internet. From Flickr to Twitter, to Facebook and Myspace it’s no wonder people have to constantly be connected in some shape or form. While I think nothing is wrong with that I do believe it’s important to take the time to get away. I see too often that people will constantly be logged on to AIM through their phones or will not think twice to take out their iPhone to check something online. I’m just not sure we really need it 24/7.