Page 31 - Trending Magazine 2018 Spring

Digital Detox_Layout 1 18-03-16 2:15 PM Page 1

Story by Erin DeBooy
Photos by Matt Goerzen
or the past three years from May until August,
Nathan MacKrith has been taking a break from
Fsocial media and his devices in order to
reconnect with life off-screen.
“Summer is a beautiful time, and as Canadians we
only have so long to enjoy the beautiful weather,”
MacKrith said with a laugh. “I want to be out and
about doing things, enjoying the weather rather than
sitting inside — or even outside — on my phone … it’s
just too much of a waste I find, to spend the whole
summer on a phone when you could be spending
time with actual people, doing all sorts of fun stuff.”
MacKrith is one of many social media consumers
reconsidering their relationship with the online plat-
forms — as well as the device they use to access
them.
Digital detoxing — taking a break from electronic
devices and the online world in order to regain a bal-
ance in the real one — is becoming an increasing
trend across North America.
A quick Google search, ironically enough, will
produce a mix of day-to-day advice on how to effec-
tively detox from technology, as well as tech-free or
“off the grid” camps and retreats available around the
world for those wanting to embark on a digital detox
vacation.
Even entertainers are feeling the lack of personal
connection to their audiences due to the overabun-
dance of technology. Jack White, for example,
recently announced his upcoming United States tour
will be a phone-free experience —
requiring the audience to lock their
phone away in secured areas of the
venue before going into the concert.
“We think you’ll enjoy looking up from
your gadgets for a little while and
experience music and our shared love
of it in person,” White’s team said in a
statement.
Alicia Keys, The Lumineers, and come-
dians like Chris Rock and Dave
Chapelle have also made the same
request of their audiences at recent
events.
In a discussion thread on the local
website eBrandon, initiated by The
Brandon Sun’s managing editor Matt
Goerzen, some Brandonites expressed
frustration with how technology has
infiltrated our world.
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