We’re Half Awake

Take a moment to think about how much time each day you spend on your phone, computer, a social networking site, or something of the like each day. Think about all of the companies you pour time and money into each week. Now that your taking time to think about it, does that amount concern you? Please take a moment out of your day to watch this very eye opening short film that approaches this issue.

The video you just watched was a short film called Fake Empire†that Ryan Lewis (now known for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis) made back in 2009. The song that is used in the short film is Fake Empire by the National. I wish I had seen this short film when it had first come out because it has really opened my eyes to an issue that people of the 21st century are now facing. That issue is becoming consumed by and finding your identity in technology and companies.

Before I continue on with this post, don’t get me wrong, I like technology and companies as much as the next person. They take a load off of everyday life, are enjoyable and are great in moderation. The problem is that technology and companies have become such a large part of peoples lives that it is now weakening them. Some people can’t seem to function without having there cell phone in their hands at all times and can only been seen drinking Starbucks coffee. At the end of the day, an invention that was invented to help people is now weakening them slowly.

Being consumed and finding your identity in these things is not only weakening yourself, but it is also damaging relationships. Giving all of your attention to a cell phone when instead you could be socializing with the person sitting right in front of you is a scenario we see almost every time we go out to a restaurant today. All of this especially hit me when in the video you hear the lyric “We’re half awake in a fake empire”. Being obsessed with technology and companies is depriving us from enjoying the real world around us which in other words could just be called being half awake. Our society has become become so materialistic and is making us miss the true pleasures in life such as going out with a friend without worrying about what brand your wearing or being distracted by a screen. A quote I couldn’t agree with more is “People were created to be loved, Things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used”.

This is a very common problem today since technology and companies are so largely integrated into our society. I’ll be the first to admit that there have been many times when I have become overly consumed with technology or companies. There could be multiple labels put over my mouth like in the video such as one for Apple, Instagram, and Youtube. Today, I’m encouraging anyone that struggles with this wide spread problem to do the same as in the video and take that label, whatever it is, off of your mouth. If this is something you struggle with, take the first step today to become less consumed by these things. I’m not saying go cold turkey on technology, but try reducing the time you spend focusing on them. Start living life looking less at a screen and paying more attention to the beautiful people and things around you.

XoXo,

Katelyn