1. 24 Hours Technology Free Assignment
Brenden Brown
CSC 223 – Professor Friedman
10 July 2011

2. Computing technology plays a role in nearly every aspect of 21st
century life. It is truly a day in
age where most people are connected with an information highway that is the internet. Humans are
utilizing technology to make their lives more efficient, connect with their worlds around them, and to
improve quality of life; whether the computing technology is a desktop/PC, mobile cell phone, smart
phone, television, car, or any technical application of specific knowledge for practical purposes. In the
industrialized world, computing technology has flattened the world per se, on a global scale, leveling the
playing field for lower-to-middle classes to have an equal chance of having access to information and
tools that will help improve the quality of life. Growing up in the information age as part of the
“millennium” generation, I have always used some sort of technology as part of my daily routine.For an
assignment in the Impact of Computing Technology class, I was tested to stay technology-free for
twenty-four hours. Beyond prohibiting use of a cell phone and internet surfing; I was required to refrain
from watching television and operating a motor vehicle. This was extremely difficult in that I am used to
driving to work in the Information Technology industry and telecommute for school. In general, I
realized that I have and ambecoming increasinglytechnologically dependent. It is interesting to reflect
on the alternatives to technology that I discovered during this blackout. In addition, I will discuss
whether or not I was able to go twenty-four hours, what my successes and failures were, what I did with
my time otherwise spent utilizing technology, and how cutting myself off from technology felt.
I went technology-free on warm, nice Saturday morning. I walked with my mother to a spin
class at a nearby gym, LifeTime Fitness. My mother and I talked about what our following week looked
like. I also told her about my assignment and that I was to stay technology free and to ensure that when
I was around her that she made sure that I was being technology-free from cell phone,
internet/computer usage, driving a car, and watching television. She offered a great idea to me as a way
to cope with being technology-free, which would be to have my nieces come over to our house. After I
went to spin class for an hour, I was back at home and took a shower. I got ready and then wondered,

3. “How am I going to contact my nieces or sister to ask if they wanted to come over?” I asked my mother
this same question in hopes of finding an answer. My mother ended up calling my sister and my sister
drove the kids over to our house. Was this really being technology-free? Is utilizing my mother to
contact my sister and nieces considered leveraging computing technology? I felt that it still counted, as I
personally was not using the cell phone to contact them. This served as a successful alternative to a cell
phone and I learned that I can ask others for help or for a favor when I needed to be technology free. It
is notable that I do not spend as much time as I would like to spend with my nieces since I am busy with
working and attending school full time each, so this blackout presented an opportunity to have a “win-
win situation” where I could see my nieces and spend time with them, while completing this
assignment. Got to love win-win situations!
When my nieces came over, I was tempted to turn on the television mainly because it is a form
of entertainment for not only me but for my nieces. They like to watch cartoons, mainly on the Disney
Channel and Cartoon Network. Both of my nieces asked if I could turn on the television and I told them
about my assignment. They did not understand why I was doing this assignment, so I asked them about
their schoolwork and said, “You know how you have assignments for school? This is one of my
assignments.” Bernice replied with a mere, “Oh. That doesn’t seem like a fun class.” I chuckled after
her response because at that age, growing up with watching television and playing with toys is an
everyday occurrence. This was also the same for me when I grew up. My mother bought video game
systems and plenty of games to keep me stimulated and ultimately satisfied. Not to go on a tangent,
but as a guy, playing video games is typically more common of an activity than it is for girls, but it may
beside the point for this reflection piece. Nonetheless, I digress knowing that children are learning
hand-eye coordination playing video games and it provides stimulation in their brains when they
interact with others playing video games. It is a fundamental learning experience in today’s day in age.

4. I decided to take my nieces to the park near my house in Algonquin, IL. We also took my dogs
with us so that we could play with them. My mom also went with us to go to the playground where my
nieces could play and my mom could watch them and talk. We were at the park for a good two hours.
At this point, I had been technology free for only six hours or so. After we came back from the park, my
sister came to pick up her children and was on her merry way home with them. In this aspect, I was
successful for only six hours, just had eighteen more to go! I thought at this point, I mine as well keep
going. I asked myself, come on, if you can’t go twenty-four hours technology free, your control over
your will is in jeopardy! I decided to take a nap and it lasted four hours. At this point, I was on the way.
When I woke, my father was home and he asked if I wanted to make dinner with him. Score! We drank
some wine and made dinner. We then ate as a family. Then I went to bed and it lasted until the
morning.
Being technology-free for twenty-four hours was an event that allowed me to be technology-
free. I appreciated spending more time with my family instead of burying myself with work and school-
work and being in-touch with the outside world. I did not have any failures, I don’t think. If listening to
the music in the cycling class I took in the morning is considered technology, then I might have failed.
However, the ultimate learning experience was that the utilization of technology for an extended period
of time takes away from other events that could happen in my life (e.g. watching my nieces growing up).
This could also be known as an opportunity cost, where the cost of utilizing information technology
costs opportunities to watch my nieces grow up and spend time with them. I think this assignment
opened my mind and allowed me to reflect on what takes most of my time up on a daily basis.