Observing people’s behavior has become a 24/7 activity for me as each informational piece is placed together to create a puzzle of how people think. The overwhelming element that I observe is people escaping from reality. Walking around a local beautiful pond on a sunny morning, the birds are singing, the breeze feels warm upon my face, the smell of the flowers and the trees make this not just a moment of exercise but of total sensory rejuvenation. There are many locals that all seem to be at this place the same time everyday. There is at first a look at each other, that then becomes a nod, then a good morning and from that point forward a large smile and a greeting with each exchange. It is a curious relationship that is wrapped in a flexible envelop for safety yet warmly embraces the human instinct for contact. This human exchange also becomes part of this healthy daily experience but to experience this you must be fully engaged and active in the moment.
The demographic of those who engage in this total experience is very generational and not to generalize its more towards the forty plus group. The forty and below younger group appeared to be shaped by a completely different reality …one that is not part of this beautiful moment but one of the Flat Screen Moment of their smartphone. This is just the tip of the iceberg as this is just my clinical observation of hundreds of people in an open air environment that then becomes one of those “pieces” that forms my human capital puzzle.
Maybe we could debate that they are in the midst of some positive informational experience or engaged in some lucrative business transaction. The sad truth is they are not. I interact with a large number of employees as a coach and trainer and my observations only further verifies my clinical perspective. The smartphone has become a form of 24/7 distraction from reality….a modern bread and circus for the masses. The flat screen world has an even more alluring appeal to them as it has become an instrument of their focus that they use to create interest with others. Meanwhile, their professional skills sets require daily reinforcement by individuals like myself, as they forget everything. Their head is not in the game but in the smartphone
My students in their twenties appear to utilize the smartphone and its distracted flat screen world more effectively but I have seen a growing inability to write with clarity their assignments. Smart students with great and exciting young minds which when I ask why.
They are quick to respond. Sorry, I am just so distracted.
It is not a matter of giving up the life of the mobile flat screen world but learning to control it and not letting it run you. Yes, technology is amazing and has given us instant access to a wealth of knowledge. In fact there has never been a more exciting time for those who love knowledge but its effective use and place is the growth edge in this story.
If the issue or the dynamic is bigger than you, it runs you, for what you choose to live with will control. So if it is a world of distraction, then get use to its impact on your life; as we only receive what we expect. If you expect the very best out of life that is what you’re going to get.
The fruits of a distracted life is less quality ….If you take a moment and JUST THINK….the results will always be much more.
