William Powers and Reconnecting With Everyday Life

In a recent appearance on NBC’s Today Show, First Lady Michelle Obama was asked by Matt Lauer about whether or not her daughters Sasha and Malia were allowed to have a Facebook page. Her answer: “No, they don’t need it.â€? How much of technology do we really need? It’s hard to avoid the constant disruptions of cell phones, emails, Facebook and Twitter. Cell phones were constructed with the intent of liberating us from the distance constraints of the land-line telephone. However, are we beginning to feel more constrained by this technology? Vacations just aren’t the same with smart phones alerting you you just got a new work email. Think about it, work emails are sent to cell phones, people can still get in touch with you via texts and twitter. Try to count the hours in the day where you aren’t connected to the world of the internet via phone or computer, nook, or ipad. Learn about disconnecting ourselves from our gadgets and reconnecting with everyday life, with author and media critic William Powers. William Powers is author of the book Hamlet’s Blackberry.