My Educational Summer

          Sorry about my title, I couldn't think of anything clever. ANYWAY, the summer reading books has really given me a whole new perspective on the way technology has been affecting our lives. Prior to reading them, I had never really given much thought about it. Yeah, my parents tell me I spend too much time on the internet, but I figured it was what a normal teenager does anyways so why not? I guess the biggest surprise to me, although it should have been pretty obvious, was how my attention span was slowly getting worse over time. I began reading Amusing Ourselves to Death around mid-July but I just couldn’t seem to focus on it. I’d often try to read, and even with my phone off or put away, it was like some random thought would come to mind, or I’d remember something else that I was supposed to do. So, I finally got around to reading when I realized how close it was getting to the deadline, but I found it challenging to focus. So, pretty much my inability to pay attention to the books has made me procrastinate, once again.
          Of the three books, my favorite has got to be The Shallows. Brave New World was interesting, but wasn’t my cup of tea, and Amusing Ourselves to Death was just not as interesting to me. I like the way Carr backed his story up with examples and research, and how he didn’t just talk about how the Internet affects us, he also brought up the way the Internet affects books and other mediums. I also liked the science and history aspects which he included. I definitely learned a lot with the books, especially The Shallows, and it has actually made me realize a lot of things about life that I should be more concerned with.
            Oh, and because of all the blog posts about phones last week, I decided to try an experiment with my family. We went to Santa Barbara on Friday and I told them that no one can use their phones for any reason, not for GPS, texting, calling, or any social media, unless it was an absolute emergency. But other than that, anyone who pulled their phone out was finned a dollar. It was a challenge for me and my younger cousin because we’re teenagers, but it was surprising that it was my mom who paid the most ($4). Anyway, being on a “digital detox” for one day has proven to be worth it because we actually spent time together, had fun, and conversed during meals. I just wanted to share with you guys my experience, and if you haven’t already, you should try to get your family to have a “no cellphone day.” I apologize for the really long post. Thanks for reading it!