Do you ever unplug – I mean REALLY unplug? I can’t think when I’ve gone more than ‘mostly unplugged’ since … long ago. But from tonight through Saturday night the National Day of Unplugging invites you to live with “No cell phones, no selfies, no technology that distracts us from each other: just people talking and enjoying each other’s company.”
Here is the description from the official site:
Do you have multiple cell phones? Take your ipad to the beach on vacation? Ever find it hard to get through a conversation without posting an update to Facebook? Is your computer always on?
We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried in our iPhones and BlackBerry’s, chronicling our every move through Facebook and Twitter and shielding ourselves from the outside world with the bubble of “silence” that our earphones create.
If you recognize that in yourself – or your friends, families or colleagues— join us for the National Day of Unplugging, sign the Unplug pledge and start living a different life: connect with the people in your street, neighborhood and city, have an uninterrupted meal or read a book to your child.
The National Day of Unplugging is a 24 hour period – running from sundown to sundown – and starts on the first Friday in March. The project is an outgrowth of The Sabbath Manifesto, an adaption of our ancestors’ ritual of carving out one day per week to unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones.
Who’s behind this?
The National Day of Unplugging is a project of Reboot. Reboot affirms the value of Jewish traditions and creates new ways for people to make them their own. Inspired by Jewish ritual and embracing the arts, humor, food, philosophy, and social justice, we produce creative projects that spark the interest of young Jews and the larger community. Among our productions are events, exhibitions, recordings, books, films, DIY activity toolkits, and apps. Since our inception, 480 network members, 700 community organization partners, and hundreds of thousands of people have looked to Reboot to rekindle connections and re-imagine Jewish lives full of meaning, creativity, and joy.
While the origins are part of an affirmation of Jewish traditions – let’s just all admit that the need to get some occasional distance from all of our gadgets is NOT a religious-based issue!
Do you think you can do it? Do you want to?