Muriel Jones

Mass Media and Collective Conciousness

27 Mar. 2025

Experiential Reflective Essay #2: Technology Fast

I turn off my phone and set it aside determined not to use it for the next three days. I already use

my phone less than most people, so I think a technology fast will be a simple thing to do. Half an

hour later I learn the hard truth that I am more dependent on technology than I would like to

admit. I am home alone and have run out of chores to do, so I think of reaching for my phone to

pull up a couple of videos to watch. It is difficult not to turn it on. A little while later I am

chatting with my sister, and we reach a lull in the conversation. Her phone buzzes, and I

instinctively reach for mine to see if I have received any notifications as well. Once more I set it

back down not allowing myself to open it up. That evening after dinner, I wonder what to do

before bed and think of turning on a movie, but I realize once more that this would be breaking

the fast that I committed to doing. In resignation, I go to our game shelf and look for another

activity to finish out the night. Picking a game, I get my siblings to play with me, and we spend

the next hour laughing, talking, and generally having a great time. I go to bed realizing that I had

started this fast thinking about it all wrong. I thought that I wouldn't really have to change my

behavior, but now I know that I will need to change a few things. This won't have to be a burden,

however; it can be a wonderful blessing allowing me to explore new hobbies and get in touch

with old ones I had forgotten.

The technology fast was much harder than I expected in many ways. When I first saw the

assignment, I was actually very excited and wanted to try doing several fasts throughout the

month. However, as the month progressed, I kept postponing my planned technology fasts due to

the “need” for technology those days. Whether I be traveling and in need of my phone, my
friends were coming over and we wanted to watch a movie, or I simply had too much online

homework to justify calling it a technology fast, I soon reached the end of the month and hadn't

successfully completed even one day of fasting from technology. I was honestly surprised by

how much I use and rely on technology in every part of my life. Once I did succeed in starting

my fast, I found that it was also very hard not to turn on my phone or tablet at any given moment

to check for notifications, scroll on reels, or just have something to do when things got quiet. I

definitely wasn't perfect about not using technology when I didn't need to, but over the four days

that I fasted from technology, I got better at finding other things to do rather than resort to my

phone as a solution to every problem.

The technology fast affected me in many ways. Mentally, I felt that I left with a clearer

and more creative mind. I am now a little better at thinking of fun activities to pass the time and

feel more self-controlled whereas before I was always falling into a trap of endless reels on the

phone. Physically, I realized that I have been spending far too much time sitting in the exact

same spot on the couch and not moving. Without media to keep me entertained, sitting on the

couch didn't seem nearly as interesting, and I soon began to move around a lot more. I also found

that I had more time and motivation to focus on eating healthy meals and making time for

exercise. Emotionally and spiritually, the technology fast left me feeling refreshed. I felt more

optimistic and experienced more real emotions in my daily activities. I also had more time for

deep introspection and a greater desire for self-improvement. I am a Christian, and this

technology fast really helped me to recognize some of my faults, set goals, and begin to come

closer to Jesus Christ. It was a wonderful personal experience.

The technology fast didn't only affect me individually, but it also affected my interactions

with other people. Although any communication by phone was hindered by my limited time on

it, the interactions that I had with people face to face were much deeper than before. I have
always been fairly good about not looking at my phone during entire conversations, but I realized

during the technology fast that I often look at it when it buzzes to see what notification came in

even if I don't do anything about it. Not allowing myself to do that during the fast really allowed

me to show those with whom I was interacting how important they were to me.

Time was another interesting concept during the technology fast. I originally felt that

time went very slowly without my phone to entertain me, but over time I soon found ways to

pass the time that I hadn't expected. I spent more time playing the piano and ukelele, reading,

and spending time with my family. As I found these things to pass the time, time flew, but I still

felt like I had accomplished something when I had to move on. Often when I spend too much

time on media, I feel that I haven't really accomplished anything at all.

Looking at how much a fast from technology changed my perspective, I realize that mass

media and technology have a much bigger role in society than we often admit. Media and

technology have reached into every aspect of our lives: work, home, entertainment,

communication, and much more. Cell phones, social networking, technological devices, and

media play huge roles in nearly everyone's lives. We all spend the majority of our time on

technology. This has changed society in both good and bad ways. From a negative viewpoint,

media and technology have created a more enclosed society that rarely leaves the house and

often doesn't interact with others in person. However, media and technology have also improved

many aspects of society in allowing for improved communication methods, more efficient

working, and better organization. Society will be eternally affected by technology, but it is up to

the individuals to determine whether those effects be positive or negative.

The fast from technology opened my eyes to the effects that media and technology have

on both me and society as a whole. I have begun to spend more time away from technology and

have been rewarded by feeling more productive and finding new hobbies and developing new
talents. I hope to continue to limit my use of technology to allow myself to experience the world

more fully.