Why do people ask the question, “Why didn’t you favorite my tweet?”? Think about it, just actually think about it for a second. It may not necessarily be that question, but we have all heard variations of that question (for example, “Why didn’t you answer my call sooner?”). There is this form of social obligation when it comes to technology.
I can see this pop up in my life constantly. No, I’m not someone who will call you out for not liking my Instagram selfie or becoming one of my Twitter followers (because, lets face it...that’s stupid), but apologizing if it takes me more than 15 minutes to reply to a text or call someone back? *Raises hand* Guilty, so very guilty.
I just recently upgraded my phone to an iPhone 6, and while most college students would love the change, it has been very bittersweet for me. Is it nice to have a GPS, email, bank account and other things accessible on the go? Yes. Is it enjoyable to have something that beeps or buzzes at me all day long to talk to someone or like something to fulfill my “social media obligation”? Not one bit.
I have come back to a single question over and over: why do we cave into technological obligation? Seriously, why are we so pressured into social media and techy stuff that we feel we are obligated to like something, must return a text within 2 minutes (or even 15 minutes, an hour, or whatever span of time), and that we can’t possibly put our phones down? I’ve thought about this to the point where I have actually become quite ticked off with this culture of technology obligation that has been created.
So here is my schpiel to you. Your technology is your own, YOURS. It is a tool for you to use (or abuse) as you like (please use it not abuse it though, because that’s obviously not good). That phone of yours? It is in YOUR pocket.
That being said, quit being a slave to your friends via your technology, and quit bowing down to the idol of Apple. Like what you will like, follow who you will follow, comment on what you will comment on. Take whatever time you want to return to a phone call or a text, it is up to YOU when you choose to contact people (as a quick sidenote, I am currently talking about social media use...please return your phone calls for work and things you’re responsible for...but still don’t be a slave to that! Boundaries are fantastic!).
It is perfectly okay to not follow your best friend on social media if you love her in person but want to beat your head against your desk when you scroll through their Facebook page. If someone texts you “Hey”, take your own darn time in responding, after all, it is a conversation which you choose to be in. Just because someone comments something really sweet on your Instagram selfie does NOT mean you have to do likewise.
Use your technology in a way that suits you, that makes the best of your tool, and in a way you actually WANT to. I don’t believe that simply having your iPhone in your pocket places a ball and chain around your ankle, I believe that it is the people that attempt to get you to use it constantly that do that. Please, for your own sake, get your nose out of your phone and into some real conversation, and realize that you are not obligated to use social media and social technology for anyone beside you. Don’t let it rule you, because that’s Jesus’ job.
