Media /// Forward

Tumblarity Zero

Alternate Title: The Speed of Life

Since I left work a few weeks ago, I’ve discovered it’s not as hard as I thought to leave the constant content streams behind. I feel like I dip into them when I want or need to, not because I have to.

But when I do need something, knowing where to look — and who to look to — is useful and rewarding. I can honestly say my life is in some ways richer when I read more of my Tumblr and Twitter feeds (which supply me with a slew of useful things, from news to memes and cool new people). As a corollary I contribute less too, of course; I don’t add as much to the community. Not sure how I feel about that.

In the spirit of contribution and to get to the reason I’m writing: in this less wired existence I find news reaches me more slowly: I see it in passing or hear about it word of mouth, if I don’t seek it out directly. And it’s not so bad. Not as efficient as the Web, and I couldn’t make trades or major decisions like this, but it offers perspective — needed, after nearly four years in communications — about the speed at which that I suspect the majority of people operate (i.e. not most of you reading this).

I have to make the caveat that I have been busy: a freelance project, homework (when was the last time you used calculus? Exactly), travel plans, etc.

I’ve also been appreciating that there’s a whole world that churns busily on while we all sit behind our desks. Lots of people don’t have desks to sit behind at all. Maybe the majority.