As recently as 1781, the practice of dismemberment was used. In the particular case I am referring, Tupac Amaru II (Incan King) was tied to four horses who were faced away from the victim and urged to run toward the four corners of the square. It was a brutal and painful way to die. Usually it was used as a way to “send a message” to other’s that would oppose the powers of the day. In the end, these forms of execution were abandoned by civilized society. I can’t even begin to imagine the immense pain felt by the victim and the horror of those who were watching.
Although the comparison may seem extreme, I believe that there is a correlation between this form of execution and the epidemic of cellphone addiction. The execution is not a physical one but a mental/emotional one. The death of the individual as well is not physical but experiential. This is not a sermon on how cellphones are evil and should not be used. These devices can be used as tools to accentuate life in meaningful ways. However this is meant as a call for recognition if you are being “torn apart” by your device. Know thy self is still as relevant today as it was when the Greeks etched it into stone.
Recognizing that your phone has taken your hand might be the easiest to identify. Is your phone in your hand more than any other object? It might be tearing you apart. Does your phone have your legs? Do you only move when reminded by a buzz, ding or bell? It might be tearing you apart. Then look to more important parts of the body. Does your phone have your lungs? Are the only times that you have your breath taken away produced through your phone? It might be tearing you apart. Does your phone have your mind? Is your mind on the things that are contained in your phone more than the things that are in front of you? It might be tearing you apart. Does your phone have your heart? Are the only times where you feel a rush positive or negative feeling happening through your phone? It might be tearing you apart. Do you have a life without your phone? Could you exist, survive and thrive without it? For a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a year? It might be tearing you apart.
If you’ve become unsettled by the number of times that you felt uncomfortable with the questions above, don’t worry! The first step to recovery is usually admitting that you have a problem. Perhaps it’s a small problem or you want to look at it that way. The key is to take control and let go from time to time. You’ll see that you actually don’t miss that much that is happening on your phone when you detach from it. You just catch a little more of the life that’s going on around you!
Have a great day people!
Pete
Huryk Unlimited 