Slashdot Mirror
'Pushback': Resisting the Life of Constant Connectivity
vinces99 writes "Researchers at the University of Washington have studied and named a trend lots of people can identify with: the desire to resist constant connectivity and step back from the online world. They call it 'pushback.' The researchers looked closely at instances of pushback against technology, reviewing 73 sources divided equally among three areas of online expression: personal blogs and websites, popular media sources and academic conferences and journals. Co-author Ricardo Gomez said they thought they'd find frustration with devices, costs or learning new technologies as key pushback motivations. Instead, the reasons were more emotionally based, with 'dissatisfaction' — the thought that users' needs are not really being met by technology — most often expressed, followed by political, religious or moral concerns. Other motivations were the wish to regain control of time and energy and fear of addiction to the technology. Among the least-often reported objections were worries about loss of privacy."
I call it 'get a life'
Pushback starts by not reading Slashdot.
I see no reason to chase the mystery trend any more now than I did when I started working with computers in 1962.
It is not "technology," nor is it being a "luddite;" it is just being sensible about your life.
consumer choice, the active and willful decision to use or not to use a specific product or service, or even none at all, is what its called. To brand it as 'pushback' is condescending and offensive as it implies im somehow inappropriately stubborn, or creating an inconvenience or disservice to others in the pursuit of things like consumer capitalism.
Speaking as a member of the 'pushback' community, If you'd like to use facebook, gmail, google plus, and twitter, by all means do so. If the only way you can start your day is with a fresh stream of "news" from the blogosphere, or an instagram of your cat, then I've nothing for which to lambast you. The internet is an open technology and as such everyones entitled to use it differently as they see fit, or not use part or all of it at all. Extend to me a likewise courtesy though, and dont bitch piss and moan when I cant be found on linkedin or your favourite social spheres. Give me a call, or a text, or an email, or come right over some time and hang out. if its too grand an inconvenience to leave the laptop though, we need to reconsider our relationship.
Why as a "pushback" troglodite am i refusing your utopia? Because its offered at the price of my freedom, which isnt for sale. Its alabaster wall is a prison in which the inmates scrawl their wishes and dreams, announce their likes and disklikes, and pass the time with games and witty reparte while a recumbent warden looks on intently. Constant connectivity is its chain gang. misery is the road it paves alongside the convicted who shall be Sentenced to a lifetime of free trials, free updates, introductory offers, limited events, and great deals.
Good people go to bed earlier.
We are not Luddites. Luddites believed that technology was taking work from them. We believe that technology is increasing our workload.
You spend your life on call. I'll be enjoying myself.
My wife and I set aside several hours every day as "zero-technology" times. We use this time to read, play with our dogs, have meals together, work on hobbies, and hang out with friends and neighbors.
Everything gets powered down - no phones ringing, no "notification" sounds, no nothing. It's pretty amazing how it feels to be disconnected - like the old days before constant connection invaded and took over society.
The most annoying part are the phone calls about "OMG where have you been!?!?!?" that inevitably come after things get turned back on.