Restak and Samuel

Restak and Samuel

Richard Restak and Alexandra Samuel both examine the role of technology in our lives. Restak argues in “Attention Deficit” that the pressure to quickly process information and rapidly shift our attention from one activity to another is causing “a devaluation of the depth and quality of our relationships” (416). However, in “‘Plug In Better’: A Manifesto,” Samuel sees technology as a means of addressing the challenges of modern life, and offers strategies for using technology to achieve a more mindful and fulfilled existence.
Using ideas from Restak and Samuel, consider how technology is changing our relationship to the people and places around us. Does it keep us from living “in the moment,” or does it change how we experience the moments and events in our lives? How does technology affect our happiness and contentment with our lives?

Questions for Exploration
How important is “unplugging” to setting boundaries between ourselves and the digital world, and are such boundaries even possible? Where do we draw the line between our online and offline lives? Can there be a middle-ground? To what extent is technology the source of our problems, and to what extent does it serve as a scapegoat?