Should we limit our use of cellphones, internet and TV to get back our mental peace?

Pradeep Malur

0

Oct 5 2012: Mental peace is more of a Power that one will obtain once they converge their mind towards something powerful, which is GOD. It is not from the use of some gadgets. One is stress free when these electronic gadgets are not used extensively. However, one is not at Mental Peace even at that point in time. Once our Mind is consistently used for obtaining such power by concentrating on something more powerful or reading and understanding extensively any Holy Books, Mental Peace is achieved

Bhavna Sehgal

+1

Oct 5 2012: Mental peace comes from within.. not from limited use of technology. Technology can be great if used to positively affect us. As an example, stalking someone on facebook is not an indication of too much use of technology, its an indication of insecurity with oneself.

Hope this helps.

Juniper Blue 10+

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Oct 5 2012: Yes Michael ( and all) .. we have to be sure that our lives don't get run over by the "information superhighway." So many things can become addictions. It is important to find a balance.

Michael Keyes

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Oct 5 2012: The internet is the "information superhighway"... or something like that. With that being said you can op to spend my time reading positive or negative material. One is just accessible as the other, and like a lot of you have already mentioned it becomes a personal responsibility. Whether you will waste some time scrolling a news feed, or be productive in gaining knowledge of info that can actually make a difference in your life. I have learned and am practicing this more recently... and I gotta say that it does help mental peace. so yes we should limit use of cellphones, internet and TV to get back our mental peace. Or at least pointless use...

Arthanari Chandrasekaran

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Oct 5 2012: Not sure about the mobile and internet but watching TV is a kind of passive activity it might not be healthy over a long run as ti does not involve physical activity but uses the least of your mental effort i think.

But you can always work on finding something that is better to do than these things to keep you occupied. This is what i always do. Come what may you just have only 24 hours a day. If you are currently watching 4 hours of TV and are able to identify a new high quality activity and borrow time from watching TV and put it in this new activity some 2 hours, your problem gets solved. The key ere is high quality activity, should at any cost replace low quality activity.

Ketan Bhavan

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Oct 5 2012: I agree with many in this discussion. The internet has evolved from a want to a need in todays society. Although there are many out their still resisting this inevitable change. I feel that it is only a matter of time.
Nowadays gaming is done online, research is done online, you can learn, plan, implement and analyse using the internet. It is not only a benefit in so many ways, but it has allowed human intelligent to progress at a far faster rate.
I guess this can be highlighted through the success of ecommerce and digital marketing companies such as www.williamscommerce.com . Only three years old, and growing at a substantial rate. I think its those who know most about the digital world like this company, will provide services for all those possibly hesitant to start up online and give everyone a chance to reap the rewards of an online business.
I guess my end note is that the digital world is our life. Being a young individual I would not know how to live without it to be honest. The next generation will be so dependent on the digital world that I feel only those who have began to utilize its functions will survive.

Arkady Grudzinsky 50+

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Oct 5 2012: Of course.

These days, people talk much about freedom, send troops and use economic sanctions on countries they perceive as limiting freedom. Freedom comes from within. Forcing people to be free is a strange idea, much like hating intolerant people. We should watch that we are free inside - not within our own country, but within ourselves. We should control ourselves - not let things that we possess, our habits, addictions, fears, obsessions, opinions of others, etc. control us.

Iulian Sociale Ingegnere

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Oct 5 2012: ...technology is a spiritual involution of humans - i mean just blase us faster than you think and without feel it for a lot of us

walter crockett

+1

Oct 4 2012: The only time a human can obtain' mental peace' is when their dead. Like one of the other answers, all will just substitute on thing for another.

James Kelly
- 0
Oct 5 2012: What sort of peace do you hope to find in death? I don't mean to have a mocking tone, but I for one do not like the idea of having "peace of mind" for eternity. I want to continue to explore and learn. With peace of mind will I have great knowledge and wisdom? Is it there will I find peace...knowing all that is to know?
Some say we are to be reborn or reincarnated into another sentient being...others still say we are to be with the one who created us...once i was told we would just be collected back into the singular consciousness out in space or into nothingness waiting to collect the rest who are still on this website, at which point still nothing will happen for eternity.
You are right that if it's not one thing it will be replaced or substituted for another. If it's not radio than it's TV. If not short morse coding than it's short messages on twitter...you get the point. I do believe we are evolving even if we don't want to believe it. We will adapt and continue our push for more knowledge - perhaps tap into the other 90% of our brain capacity and who knows perhaps surprise ourselves in being able to one day cope with having the vast knowledge we've attained AND be able to spend 5 minutes a day reflecting and gaining back our mental peace.
Who is to say our mental limit has been reached with the dawn of computers and social media where it stands today. Scientific American published an article on the physical limitations of humans intelligence. I'll end my rambling tonight with this quote, "Humans, however, might still achieve higher intelligence collectively. And technology, from writing to the Internet, enables us to expand our mind outside the confines of our body." Essentially indicating the technologies of today is an extension of our brain! :)
- walter crockett
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  Oct 5 2012: Hi James. I meant that only in death do we find inner quiet, at least I hope so. The only inner quiet that can be found in life is by a induced coma and I'm no into that.

Steve Weinzirl

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Oct 4 2012: You asked, "Should we limit our use of cellphones, internet and TV to get back our mental peace?" The answer is, "Yes." Nothing is achieved in life without the application of our attention. If we split our attention between too many competing areas then the deep focus required to penetrate life's greater mysteries cannot be achieved.

The ability to simply sit and think about a problem is of primary importance. Nothing is achieved without the application of attention. The most distilled and powerful application of attention comes by giving our awareness to one thing at a time. The array of options for where to place our attention is not the big problem. The big problem is developing the wisdom to choose the right one and the discipline to keep our attention on our choice.

Fear makes people jump from place to place looking for safety or satisfaction. Love allows us to focus. As long as there is something that ignites a passion within an individual then love will drive them forward. No amount of technology will stand in their way or fail to serve their need.

We do need to slow down. I’d say we should make it a regular part of each day. A time to reflect and see how we feel about where we are and where we think we are going. A resting point in each day that allows us to see if we still follow our passion.

There is a line from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life that says, “Why don’t you kiss the girl instead of talking her to death?” That’s the problem with too many distractions. We talk it to death when all we really have to do is begin.

Lorenz Tongol

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Oct 4 2012: Are we evolving to become a technologically dependent society? I think what we have now was created when it was not essentially needed, but if we are "raising generations of young people who only know how to react", what is this adaptation doing to our ability to analyze and think critically?

James Kelly

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Oct 4 2012: If we are to evolve, would we need to evolve as quickly as our technologies? Or would we not have to evolve because our technologies do all the growth for us? I suppose this doesn't answer the above but to say that what we have now is not what we need than we should try to find what we will need soon. As Nadine Upton said earlier in this post, "There's no back, just forward". There is so much truth to that simple statement on many levels.

Lorenz Tongol

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Oct 4 2012: Yes. Information is becoming ever more accessible. There is so much to see, learn, hear that it seems development of ones 'self' is getting lost in the mix. People consume more than they can comprehend. We must learn to pace ourselves.

flexman feng

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Oct 4 2012: I prefer my kindle. It`s another kind of thing.I will never abandon it.

W. Ying 10+

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Oct 4 2012: Yes.

(1) Our adapting rate can never match the developing rate of internet, cell phone, and TV.
(2) Thus, these products are always out of the VALID SCOPE of our instincts.
(3) Hence, we lost our metal peace operated by our instincts.
(4) That is, these products give us INVALID HAPPINESS.

Nadine Upton

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Oct 2 2012: There's no back, just forward

Iulian Sociale Ingegnere
- 0
Oct 4 2012: we all have a back, just watch my back, ... be serious :) you know what I mean.

Iulian Sociale Ingegnere

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Sep 27 2012: One thing that can make you mind about technology is that comes from the years of industrialization when was made the biggest harm to our natural living environment and for just a small cell phone that now we throw on trash, many generations died, humans, animals, plants, vanished from Earth just for a small thing that now also is vanishing. Think about that we are part of the killing of ourself but in a big way like we foul ourself of the "big" discoveries human kind made. Yeahhhhhhhhhh .......

W. Ying 10+
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Oct 4 2012: You are great!

Iulian Sociale Ingegnere

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Sep 27 2012: Oh do not be so pessimistic I have a solution for this problem for childs accesing the internet and is about to teach people about "technology abstinence". Maybe you will lough but will work very fast if you offer something better for having fun. I own this project for Safer Internet for children - http://www.dacicop.ro/ go to Welcome for english version. Please feel free to contact me becouse I have some experience also from my life and I am conscious about the problem that spreads all over the world.

Iulian Sociale Ingegnere

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Sep 27 2012: Hey ..... just now when you ask yourself this question you intrigue many people to answer so you make them use the Internet. so .... where is the solution ? :) .... I think to have fun and use them only for business as they were conceived for..... have fun :)

Shanmugananda M

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Sep 27 2012: ABsolutely! Because of tv presence, we have no time to explore assets in our family love story. We keep admiring, weeping and discussing priyanka chopra, kareena kapoors filmy love stories. :)

Anil Rajvanshi

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Sep 27 2012: I am delighted that this conversation has elicited tremendous response. By and large the comments show that people realize that the technology is very useful but it should be used with constraint. However the biggest challenge is how to convince the teenagers and younger people. I guess all of us have to go through the learning curve ourselves. Yet the teenagers and younger person's brain is very powerful and pliable and at this age if it is not given a discipline of reflection and contemplation then it will become very difficult to do so in later years.

So how do we inspire the younger generation on the need to think and reflect rather than react.

Cheers.

Rick Ryan 10+
- +2
Sep 27 2012: (Quote): "However the biggest challenge is how to convince the teenagers and younger people."

This is nothing new. OUR parents asked themselves the exact same questions about US when we were "the teenagers". They worried that our entire generation was going to grow up incapable of being responsible adults and unable to "Run the World". Disaster was imminent. We were all Doomed.

Let's step back and try to put this issue in a different perspective. It seems to me the assumption we are making is that ALL of the young of the current generation are going to grow up disabled and incompentant from the overuse of cell phones, Internet, and TV. Same concerns our parents had about whatever we were "using" or "doing" when we were young. But the simple fact is that doesn't happen. It didn't happen to US, and it won't happen to the young generation of today as a WHOLE. Both of those conclusions are verified by the fact we all here right now are discussing this issue, and the "group" here consists of us "old" folks that obviously survived our parents concerns, and the young folks here now participating who are already aware that they may need to be concerned about the "abuse" of these technologies.

Not all people in a society "grow up" the same way. No doubt many from my generation "never changed", but also many of us DID change our younger habits our parents were concerned about. The same will happen with the young generation of today. Not ALL of them will become "disabled" and "incompetant" because of their current mis-use of cell phones, Internet, and TV. Enough of them will learn the moderation and effective use of the technology so they can "run the world", and the world will go on.

And they will end up worrying about whatever mis-use of the next generation of technology THEIR teenagers are wrapped up in at the time, too. Payback. ;-)

The cycle continues.
- chen xin
  - 0
  Sep 27 2012: you know today'teenagers have their own characterristics.they groe up with cellphones computers ;
  and i dont think it is a bad thing .as for me .though i have reduced my relationship time .maybe i could not speed as much time as you did .but we do have won something .i think the biggist characterristic of this generation that they can keep silence..they keep a peace mind ..they know what should do .and they desire to do something many of them do not want to relay on their parents .they want to rise their self
  they want to say that they can have a better life on their own
- John Smith 30+
  - +1
  Sep 27 2012: "Let's step back and try to put this issue in a different perspective. It seems to me the assumption we are making is that ALL of the young of the current generation are going to grow up disabled and incompentant from the overuse of cell phones, Internet, and TV. Same concerns our parents had about whatever we were "using" or "doing" when we were young. But the simple fact is that doesn't happen. It didn't happen to US, and it won't happen to the young generation of today as a WHOLE."
  
  Yup, that's the crux of this whole thread: old people who think "the youth" are no good. Countless generations have wasted countless hours and resources on that same myth.
  - Iulian Sociale Ingegnere
    
    0
    Oct 4 2012: I am 34 years old and older in thinking than i should be and I ask you two questions:
    1. Why at my age I am divorced like many others on early ages?
    2. Is autumn ...right ... how many celsius degrees are there? 34 ?
- Kundan Jha
  - +1
  Sep 27 2012: As my mom used to say excess of anything is bad... No matter how good it is...
  
  Most of us tend to miss out on the bigger picture while getting engaged ourselves into satisfying our small needs or desires... Like, while talking to your loved once over the phone all the time, we forget the fact that everyone needs their own personal space, or a simple fact like watching more of TV will make us miss out on bonding with our dear ones... and will increase the distance between you and your dear ones..
  
  When there will be a time to share your feeling or thoughts or there feeling or thoughts with each other... you may not find anyone to talk..... These are the few reciprocation of the excess usage of cellphones, internet or TV that might happen to anyone of us....
  
  See the bigger picture... or help other to see the bigger picture.... to make them realized what they are loosing .....

Roberto Garcia

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Sep 27 2012: Cell phones and Internet are the solution for many issues, but, at the same time, have reduced our privacy in a slight percentage. When we rely on useful technology we go the point that we cant remember how life was without it. We see everyday people that dont go anywhere without a cell phone. From time to time is a good excercise to spend some time away this kind of technology.

chen xin
- 0
Sep 27 2012: i totally agree with you on this point that its reduce our privacy .while isnt a good thing?
with it many people fear to do something bad.with
it we can reduce crime.with it police can easily settle a case with it we can have a open society. with it we can let ourselves be much better .. right?
another without it you can talk at ted right? without it you can not see so many friends right ? without it
you can not watch so many wonderful talks right
so do it

Kris Rosvold

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Sep 25 2012: I absolutely limit my tech. uses. Technology is VERY helpful to me for the expansion of my opinions and views. However I am a firm believer in the principal of "moderation in all things". It is tempting to over-use technology to the point that I can (and have) used it to avoid the doing of life.. Ideas are wonderful but "faith without works is dead"...

Glenn Fullerton

+4

Sep 24 2012: The only person I can ever hope to have peace with is myself. I am reading this as "should I" limit my use to help me find my mental peace. My answer to that is ... limit or get rid of mindless use of technology. If you want to be on facebook or watch TV then do it but know you are doing it, be mindful of that action. It is the mindless actions, whether it be technology,eating or anything else that I am trying to rid myself of. I have caught myself many of times clicking on facebook because it was a default action not because I wanted to go onto facebook. but I digress so to sum it up

mindful use of cellphones,internet and TV = yes
mindless use of cellphones,internet and TV = no

Henry Woeltjen 10+
- 0
Sep 25 2012: Well said Glenn
Ammar Bilajac
- 0
Sep 25 2012: I totally agree with you, we spend most our time on useless things.
The problem is that generations like mine are born "technology addicted".
Iulian Sociale Ingegnere
- 0
Oct 4 2012: Help me mind without ⬆⬇ this ⬅➡ -- guess which direction arrow is missing and you can not represent it right on the screen ?

Richard Krooman 50+

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Sep 24 2012: I think that if we show everyone what the world is like without these devices people will stop over-using them anyway.
I'm one of the guys who works on and with technology quite a lot... but my cellphone can only make and recieve calls and text messages.
Also I do not use any social media because I value personal contact a lot more than online ones. And besides if they need to reach me they can always do so.

Henry Woeltjen 10+
- 0
Sep 24 2012: I don't think the total exclusion of online communication is productive. It is a failure to adapt..and is just as extreme as being wrapped up in technology.
- Richard Krooman 50+
  - 0
  Sep 24 2012: who said anything about total exclusion of online communication?
  
  Is not having facebook a total exclusion of online communication?
  
  I'm actrive in forums etc (like TED) which have my interrest and I go there when I want to.
  Also I use mail like crazy. But as soon as I turn off my pc I can exclude as much online stuff as I want from my real life.
  - Henry Woeltjen 10+
    
    0
    Sep 24 2012: You said:
    "Also I do not use any social media because I value personal contact a lot more than online ones."
- Richard Krooman 50+
  - +1
  Sep 24 2012: Well that depends if you see a web forum as a social media.
  
  What I mean by that line you quoted is that I do not maintain contact online with people I know (and see) in real life.
  - Henry Woeltjen 10+
    
    0
    Sep 25 2012: I see what your saying Richard.
    
    Do you think teaching our children balance...or moderation could be effective?
- Richard Krooman 50+
  - +1
  Sep 25 2012: I think that if we encourage the children to first discover the world without using devices that they will automatically be more moderate in their use of them.
  
  So in a way yes I think that a balance between the different media is more effective.
  - Henry Woeltjen 10+
    
    0
    Sep 25 2012: I see your point here. If you are introduced to technology first...you will increase the chances of being consumed by it.
    
    Great point.

Skye Kelly

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Sep 24 2012: It is exciting as well as frightening to me to think about the kids growing up attached to cell phones and computers the way I was to garbage pail kids and teddy ruxbin. I can't image having that kind of limited attention span. My 19 year friends are addicted to twitter. All my other friends are addicted to facebook. Here I am on TED. There is a great film called PLAY AGAIN that is about the phenomenon of kids and screens (tv, computer, phone etc) and the ADD effect and the complete lack of being in nature. For me that is the key- balance of also being in nature- filmmaker Tiffany Shlain made a film called Connected that also addresses this and she takes a techno-shabbat for 24 hours. Try it- much more difficult then it seems and the expectation of immediate replies is also part of the culture- you expect people to be checking their texts and emails all the time-

Henry Woeltjen 10+

0

Sep 24 2012: I also don't think modern society affords us time to take breaks from such things.

Mayur Vora 20+

+1

TED Attendee

Sep 24 2012: I banished the TV from home, and did not miss it.
have started a digital free Sunday, and plan to limit digital connection, cell phone and Computer, to a few hours a day.
have been able to spend a lot more time with myself since then.
This TV dumbs us down to be lead, and make us react to its content,often limiting new ideas and thoughts.
the computer and internet are useful, but getting addicted to them, stops us from our natural selves.
we all need to cultivate a life outside the digital!

Henry Woeltjen 10+
- 0
Sep 24 2012: I don't think a television has anything to do with this. Before TV we blamed radio...before radio it was something else.

I feel like we get so wrapped up in "get rid of it" and never focus on achieving balance.

We cannot run away from innovation...just apply it in productive ways.

If you are addicted to the internet...and you remove the internet...you still have the addictive behavior.

This for that.
Henry Woeltjen 10+
- 0
Sep 25 2012: Let me say I do like digital free Sunday...I need to steal that from you.

busetgadapet buset

+1

Sep 24 2012: dont limit it, people will bored to it eventually...
I use pc and smartphone everyday, for 20 years and I already bored, so I only use it for few minutes for a day...

V Raj

0

Sep 24 2012: Absolutely... Specially if we are still conscious and concerned about not just our Physical But Mental Peace.. Technological Innovations are just like Twin Blade Swords and just as over indulgence of nutritious produce such as milk is bad so is the over dependency of TV - Internet - Cellphones etc.

The argument that it has shorten our worlds.. has made exchange of ideas simple and easy but in doing so, it has made us lose touch with our inner self.. Agree that the definition of what is good and what is bad can be simply summed up as 'To Each Its Own' but had the life been simpler thanks to these innovations New Age GURU's Selling the Mental Peace wouldn't have been raking in millions :-)