WELCOME to the digital world; it is utterly chaotic and full of mediocrity. Have you checked the number of news you have consumed for the day? Has your knowledge increased when you have gossiped about breakups and recently-posted pregnancy test of your officemate? Have your continuous efforts in arguing with virtual people who beg to differ with your opinions made you rich? The description about this pandemonium can go on and on.
I came to realize that my usage of social media has gone beyond the meter that it factored in to my stress. Aside from dealing with personal issues, I take time to meddle in other people’s lives on a daily basis. It started off with my interest in news on a large scale. I felt that if I read them, I can empathize with those victims in warzones, fight in unison for LGBT’s right to same-sex marriage, and be aware of my surroundings, at least. Until I feel content from reading the average news on government officials and their concubinage, to seeing posts from virtual friends on their newly bought shoes. I hit “like” and many other emotion buttons. It becomes a routine: I check, I scroll, I hit like. Unfortunately, I spend most of my time snooping around other lives and engaging discussion with them than actually taking care of mine.
So I escaped from it temporarily. I have been doing this intermittently since I signed up in 2008. The goal, of course, is to remove myself from the scene, but that is easier said than done. Behold, before I “disconnected,” a chat notification popped up. It was my mother asking if I was okay. The question is not answerable by a “yes” or “no” especially for my mother. It demands a discussion at length of whys and hows. So I stayed a little longer in the digital world.
Escaping now becomes more and more of a futile set-up. My boss came in to the scene asking for my help. Understand that we are continents away from each other, and the only means of communication is through Facebook chat. We tried e-mailing each other before to be a bit more formal, but he sends emojis to signal his moods to me. They swing all the time and e-mail does not have that option. So I stayed a little longer in the digital world.
The challenge has now become more difficult as if I await the inevitable end of it. I am leaving a labyrinth of tasks should I fully decide to escape from it. I could stay and finish the never-ending tasks and answer a few surveys on how my breakfast crew’s service was this morning or leave and hibernate for a little while until the next Game of Thrones season airs.
Fast forward, I am waiting for the next season of GOT. Before I got disconnected, I made sure I answered my mother.