July 7, 2003

The Lure of Data: Is It Addictive?

My spin: I check my email once a minute and AM one of those guys/gals who love being wired. Is it a sickness. Is it bad for you. No - as long as you prioritize

NY Times News Clip: The ubiquity of technology in the lives of executives, other business people and consumers has created a subculture of the Always On ¬— and a brewing tension between productivity and freneticism. For all the efficiency gains that it seemingly provides, the constant stream of data can interrupt not just dinner and family time, but also meetings and creative time, and it can prove very tough to turn off.

Some people who are persistently wired say it is not uncommon for them to be sitting in a meeting and using a hand-held device to exchange instant messages surreptitiously ¬— with someone in the same meeting. Others may be sitting at a desk and engaging in conversation on two phones, one at each ear. At social events, or in the grandstand at their children's soccer games, they read news feeds on mobile devices instead of chatting with actual human beings.(full story)

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