Paul Miller, on leaving the Internet:
I feel like I’ve only examined the internet up close. It’s been personal and pervasive in my life for over a decade, and I spend on average 12+ hours a day directly at an internet-connected terminal (laptop, iPad, Xbox), not to mention all the ambient internet my smartphone keeps me aware of.
I’m not sure what “examined the internet up close” means, but I’ve emphasized the real problem in that paragraph–instead of removing yourself from internet access entirely, how about just, you know, cutting back?
I agree with Murray that Miller’s actions are probably over the top. That said, I do think many of us who are neck-deep in the Internet daily could use a healthy dose of self-control.
In a world where all of our phones are connected to Twitter, RSS and more, it’s hard. I can’t just turn it off. I have two kids, a house and a busy job. People need to get in touch with me.
Back in October, I stopped playing games on my iPhone. While that experiment has been successful, I still find myself reaching for my phone more than I’d like.
I’m not quitting my iPhone, Paul Miller style. (Despite the fact I used a RAZR for a large portion of 2010.) I am, however, looking for ways to use it more as a tool and less as a time-waster.