The average person's life is wrapped up in the internet, texting, and social media, so how far can we get from the siren call of our cell phones?
This summer, a Montana-based tourism company will cater to residents of big cities who want to explore the state without being “plugged in.”
Austin Adventures’ Dave Austin, has designed several trips that include a digital detox pledge.
“I don’t know if everyone has the discipline to put their phones away, right?” he said. “And this makes us the bad guys.”
That may work for some determined individuals, but research psychologist Larry Rosen with California State University Dominguez Hills said it might hurt on the other end.
“Basically, what you’re doing is asking for a flood of anxiety when you return to the real world,” said Rosen. “Because so much of what we do is invested in our smart phones and in our virtual worlds, that even putting our phones away for a day, or a half a day, makes us feel like we’re missing out on what we sense might be something very important.”
He said it’s possible to decrease the reliance on technology, but people are only spending more time checking their phones and social media as time goes on, and that’s not likely to change.
