Addicted to Evolution

Are you addicted to technology? How about social media? It's a real thing, you know--virtual monkey on the back. Here are the sure signs you are addicted (at least according to one author who has written a book called "The Digital Diet" about when too much is not enough):

• The urge to pull out a cellphone even when someone you're with is in the midst of a conversation with you.
• Texting even while your child is telling you about his or her day at school, and realizing later that you can't remember the details of what your son or daughter has said to you.
• Having the vague feeling that something hasn't really happened until you post it to Facebook or Twitter.
• Feeling isolated and anxious if you are offline for an extended period of time.
• Noticing that even when your family is all together in one room at home, each person is gazing at his or her own screen and tapping at a miniature keyboard.

The author Daniel Sieberg says that some people even create status updates or tweets in their heads when they are experiencing things (Who doesn't?).  He says, "It's as if they have lost the ability to live in the moment, and have become conditioned to feeling that they have to instantly share it electronically while it is still going on."

Ha ha ha...I am only posting this to take enjoyment in what is a natural response to all new and world-changing phenomena. Whether talking about the light bulb, television, rock & roll or the internet, there will be some people that focus on the downside, freak out at where it's leading us, and perhaps even try to prevent the change from happening.

No doubt that every phenomenon has a negative side. In our new technological world, where information is just a mouse-click away, of course, there will be some detriment. And whenever our brain processes something as pleasurable, like multiple responses and comments on social media sites, it will release dopamine, the neurotransmitter "associated with the reward system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement to motivate a person proactively to perform certain activities."

Dopamine is released in response to experiences such as food, sex, drugs, and neutral stimuli that become associated with them.  It is believed that this system is responsible for the physical aspects of addiction. So in that regard, there is no doubt some people will struggle with the symptoms of addiction in the early years of the social media explosion.

Saying that, Mr. Sieberg, there is nothing in need of changing.  As I've said before in this blog, the human species will continue to evolve with machine--that is, with our informational systems. This symbiotic growth will not be stopped, so striving for separateness from our cyber-existence is futile. And why would we want to? Sure, neglecting your family for Facebook is lame, but for some it's welcome refrain from family strife and tensions. Some people that are isolated socially from the real world, find acceptance and a forum for their thoughts on social media. You see, it all depends on which perspective you are looking from. 

So don't fear your relationship to social media--I guarantee no matter how absorbed you are now, it will even out over time. And if it doesn't, so what? It just means you're popular...in cyberspace.

Social for Life

Find Facebook pointless?  Step off: Facebook and other social media can be great for the health.  In fact, anything that gets people interacting regularly can impact health positively.  So says a recent study showing that people with strong social relationships have 50% less chance of dying early than people without such support.

According to the study, a meta-analysis examining social relationships and their effects on health, low social interaction was

• equivalent to being an alcoholic
• equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes/day
• more harmful than not exercising
• two times more harmful than obesity

And increasing one's social interactions had a bigger impact on premature death than taking an adult vaccine to prevent pneumonia or taking drugs for high blood pressure.

The authors of the study, a team at Brigham Young University in Utah, suggest that government policymakers should look at ways to help people maintain social relationships as a way of keeping the population healthy.  They speaks specifically in relation to seniors, as that part of the population has the greatest chance of living in isolation.

May I suggest seniors' play centers?  Oh, people could go to these centers to play cards or board games, watch sporting events or exercise.  They could hold classes, have speakers and host other fun events.  I know that many communities have these clubhouse-type centers already--I know of a few in Florida, myself--but I think this might be a useful expenditure of government money.  Why not?  If social interactions have such a high impact on health, then why not spend a little money on it?  Make the clubhouses nice and have one in every neighborhood.

Everybody dive into Facebook, Twitter and any other social media that allows people to interact 24/7--it's good for the health!

Gets Yer Swine Flu Shots Here

Listen up, people--get your swine flu shots straight away. Seriously. The U.S. government, along with the CDC, really, really wants you to be well. So they are reaching out (and I'm helping) through Facebook and Twitter to let you know--they care.

According to recent reports, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is turning to social networking sites targeting 50% of the population to spread the fear about the swine flu. The CDC reports that it is urging people to get their annual inoculations--three to be exact--one for the regular flu (the one that doesn't work), and two for the swine flu (the one that could be dangerous). They would like you to know that despite 50% of health care workers in Hong Kong stating that they wound NOT be getting the vaccine--you should--because you're American, and well, you're dumb.

They also want you to know that despite the mild nature of the current swine flu spreading throughout the world, it COULD be deadly. And so in the event that it might...you really need to get inoculated. Please do not fixate on the fact that the vaccines currently in the works have not been thoroughly tested; and please do not spend too much time thinking about that silly little legal immunity thing granted to the vaccine makers--those are simply technicalities.

What is really important is that you are safe. The CDC and the U.S. government want you to know that in these certainly uncertain times, the only thing that is certain is uncertainty.

As I will be posting this on Facebook and Twitter, I certainly hope that I have done my part.