(Photos by Morgan Blake for IHOD)
I sat down to write this week after the week long blog break (which hasn’t happened in ….years dare I say?), and what I thought would be a rusty brain produced some connected sentences and congruent thoughts! I am crediting the elimination of other distractions that week such as social media and netflix (I survived and actually loved it – gasp!). I also took some time to dive back into more reading. Sometimes, I am so busy creating content for my own blog, that I don’t get to visit some of my personal favorite books, mags, and websites for a little scoop of news or thought provoking content. It got me thinking about the high speed level of entertainment our culture is producing, and if we still have the attention span to actually READ through articles, writings, and stories? For instance, have you made it this far into the post yet? Bravo! Test one passed! (wink wink) I found it encouraging to see this study that social media usage has actually significantly dropped this year. Dare I say we are catching on that it isn’t all that fulfilling in the end? It serves it’s purpose, but I think we all crave more than snaps and images from time to time. However, I know a good portion of IHOD’s social media audiences rarely click over to read the full story based on questions I receive on the social apps.
So if you do take the time to still actually READ through blogs, magazines, newspapers, and good hardcovers, when do you do so and by what form? First thing in the morning? Before you go to bed? A carved out time on the weekend perhaps? Do you email subscribe to your favorite sites? Maybe just a click over on social media? Good ink on paper? I am interested to hear, as I find this topic worth diving into a little more.
If book stores are dying off and apps are thriving, it poses the question of how this is affecting us as a whole? In some ways, I welcome the app life. I mean, thank the lawd for Amazon prime, weather apps, and email access! Even still, I don’t think I will ever tire of the slower method to taking in information. Fresh print, writing in a journal, sending snail mail to nearest and dearest, and sitting down on Saturday mornings with a cup of coffee to catch up on the writings of some of my favorite blogs. For instance, I read Erin’s recent post that stopped me in my tracks, and immediately had me re-shifting the way I approach friendships. I finally sat down to read the last issue of Darling Magazine from cover to cover, and ate up the visual art along with it. I appreciate more than a good visual scroll, and tend to re-visit blogs that take the time to use the lost art of vocabulary. Heck, if blogging wasn’t my job, I’d probably venture down a life without social media for a while like my lovely friend Amanda.
I am curious though if others still enjoy the same? I love how my husband Gabe doesn’t have social media. He reminds me the importance of reading from different news sources to do our part in understanding what is going on in the world around us, and drawing our own conclusions. My sisters are also a really good at encouraging cool reads, and are currently recommending podcasts to each other to listen to. Elements of a well rounded mind, right? 😉
Anyways, thanks for reading if you made it this far! You have earned yourself a modern day attention span award! Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Also, please leave me some of your favorite magazine, blogs, and sites you visit regularly if you feel inclined!
