Tweeting on the ferry, blogging on the train, chatting on the subway, skypying on the bus, emailing at work. We communicate, constantly, everywhere. Every day I see people in Manhattan messaging while walking, crossing the street, up and down the stairs, on the elevator, in the bathroom and even while driving (yikes!).
The social urge of communication has grown exponentially in the past decade and is now filling every idle moment of our lives.
Some may argue that this continuous communication is annoying and mostly useless, it makes people unfocused and distracted. Some may say that it is a way of relaxing, of feeling always in contact with somebody. The obvious fact is that these compulsive activities are occupying some specific spaces in our day, spaces that otherwise would be, or would seem to be, empty.
In the visual arts, the urge of the artist of filling every empty space with details is called horror vacui, the fear of emptiness. The resulting style is frequently overcrowded and suffocating, and not surprisingly, it is originally the artistic style of mentally ill people.
Perhaps some spaces are meant to be left empty, to give harmony and breath to the whole picture of our day.
While endeavoring to use every single moment of “blank” time to indulge in addictive and distractive habits, indeed something does get lost.
As a software engineer, my work requires intense focus on problems for long periods of time. The more I grow older and (hopefully) wiser, the more I appreciate the few pauses and moments of idleness in my day and protect them from any other casual distraction. When riding the train home, for instance, I make it a point to do nothing else, not to force upon myself any phone calls, e-mails, video games or activities other than being aware of my surroundings.
It takes a good self-awareness to understand the importance of doing nothing.
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