Last Friday as I was researching for my blog during the 54th session of Harvard National Model United Nations, the unexpected happened, the Wireless Network collapsed. I felt powerless, useless. What could I possibly do without internet? Immediately after having posed this question to myself, I realized that I was dependent. I couldn’t believe how lost I could feel, just because my mails were piling up and I was not able to answer them.
Thinking back five years I remembered the time, when internet was a novelty to me, something new to discover and to study. I would have never thought that being out of it for even such a short time as 2h would make me feel sad. It is impressive how fast one becomes digitally dependent and our perceptions are distorted by social values as well as gadgets. It reminded me of the conversation I had with my dad couple of years ago when I told him that I would want to use a cell phone when I am grown up. He then rationally pointed out that having a cell phone will not be important in the future and it is better to not always be reachable. Now he owns a Blackberry, sends emails and uses it for work.

With these thoughts in my mind, I closed the computer and enjoyed the silence around me.

– Francesco Iberg