The "Plugged In" Syndrome

The eNewsletter called, WinXP News has a tongue-in-cheek article this week about those people who continuously wear earbuds from their mp3 players, those who stay connected to their Palm Computers, and those who are always connected to their cell phones. In the article, the author explains this as a "serious" medical condition. Finally, after the joke has worn off, the authors asks for the reader's opinion on whether we've become electronic zombies or escapists from the real world.

I found this article very interesting because living in New York City, practically everyone has an mp3 player while on the subway or walking down the street. And, if a person isn't listening to music, they have one of those Bluetooth headsets that allows them to talk non-stop while they go about their lives outside their offices.

Actually, I am writing these thoughts while I am on vacation in Oklahoma City where very few people have their iPods connected (or at least, I haven't noticed anyone wearing one). Reading the article and pondering the difference between living in New York City and Oklahoma has me thinking about escapism and that old Paul Simon tune, "I am a rock, I am an iiiiiiiiis--land."

New York City is a city of 8 million officially (and 10 million unofficially) where one would think that there are too many people there for anyone to feel isolated or actually "be" isolated. In truth though, most folks have their own ways of isolating themselves (either to keep their sanity or as a result of their insanity, depending on how you look at it). I can see how listening to music and blocking out the sounds of the city can be very peaceful.

But then, I remember going to church camp (both as a student and leader) and having a clear policy against portable music players and personal headphones because they do exactly what they intend: isolate the listener. There is a point when isolation from the outside world becomes an addictive reason to escape from it and not interact with it. And, as we all know, there are a plethora of other ways we escape from our realities: drugs, video games, and even reading books. I think escapism has its necessary times- but when those times become the norm, then we need to take off our earbuds and close our books if we want to experience the joy of participating in this life.

How often do we escape from our realities? And, what are the ways in which we do it? Do we do it too often? Do I do it too often? Do I spend more time daydreaming (my biggest escapist technique) than I do interacting with my friends and my community? These are important questions that I think are working thinking about because there is a great disadvantage to living our lives as "a rock or an iiiiiiiis-land."