For the first time in 33 years, the sun, moon and earth aligned perfectly in a row, bringing us a super moon total lunar eclipse. Such a rare and awe-inspiring event deservedly attracted lots of hype around the world, with billions of people looking up to see the cosmic beauty.
However, something was different about this eclipse than the one that happened 33 years ago. This natural phenomenon flooded my consciousness through television, internet and social media blasts as people showcased their beautiful snapshots of this rare event. Although it was amazing to be able to see what the moon looked like over exotic locales such as the Abu Dhabi desert or the Manhattan skyline, it made me really think about how maybe technology has overstepped its welcome in our society.
Our world is globally connected in ways we couldn’t have dreamt of less than a century ago. With tools such the internet and, more specifically, social media, we are able to share things with people across the globe with a mere tap of the finger. However, have we become too attached to the phones that seem to be ever-present in our hands? As a college freshman, I have grown up in a world where Google was always an option. As my parents remind me frequently, I was never burdened with trips to the library or rifling through encyclopedias to obtain information. Instead, I expect the things I need to be delivered to me in less than a second.
This instant gratification that the Internet grants has fostered short attention spans in all of us, which have permeated into our everyday lives. Instead of sitting outside and watching the moon gradually eclipse, I Googled the time when the eclipse would be at its peak, and continued to do my homework until five minutes before. I didn’t have the patience to simply sit and enjoy something so grand. We have become used to our media and entertainment being short and succinct, with only the entertaining or pertinent details being presented to us. However, nature is not something that is sliced and produced to be entertaining for the masses, but instead is something raw and unedited. It is a medium that we are becoming distanced from to the point where it is no longer relatable to our fast-paced lives.
I am not claiming to be against technology. Purely while writing this article, I have toggled between tabs to research what a lunar eclipse actually is, checked my Facebook and Instagram feeds, and watched a BuzzFeed video. Technology has become such a central part of our society that we are blind to the fact that it is getting in the way of how we live our lives. Unfortunately, we are living through a screen instead of looking up and enjoying the experiences that are right in front of us. I was alarmed by how reliant I am on technology. With the chillier temperatures of fall looming in the not-so-distant future, I should be outside enjoying the final rays of sunshine. However, I am more content living vicariously through others on social media or online.
With technology’s influence on our society only increasing, we need to make a conscious decision to push away from our phones and the Internet if we want to rekindle our relationship with nature. There are so many great things that we are missing out on; a face-to-face dinner with friends filled with laughter is so much better than an instant messaging session littered with fake “lol”s. And, a super moon eclipse is best watched without the interruptions or distractions of a bright screen in the way. Whether it’s by leaving your phone in your room while you eat dinner or by limiting screen time all together, we can make small steps towards a more rewarding and rich lifestyle—sans tech.
Samantha is a freshman majoing in communication arts and journalism. Please send thoughts to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
