The human brain is the most beautiful machine. It creates wonders when used at optimum. All the technology that we use today is the creation of human brain to make lives of human easier and better.
But what happens when we are too glued to technology? Does it improve our creativity or hamper it? In this article I will share my own experience on how too much of dependence on technology killed my imagination. And how I got it back.
We know that the more we explore things the more our brain learns, therefore it’s the same with our imagination. The more we’ll explore the more we will grow our imagination, and add a touch of creativity to it. For example, a simple, basic drawing can be turned into a whole story if we unleash our inner artist and creativity.
It’s not only your imagination that’s growing but also many other things around you. I’m sure all of us use some type of device whether it’s a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop, we all use them. Well, where did they develop from? How did they even come to progress so much that now they are in our daily lives? It was all the working of someone’s mind, so you see, many sharp brains are behind the technology that we all love to use. Many people are putting videos on YouTube, some are on Twitch, others are on Instagram. Most of us use these applications, and that is why they are getting advanced constantly, getting new updates. That’s how technology is growing because of us.
The use of technology is only increasing and with it the harmful impacts. Numerous dangerous trojan horses, spywares and ad-wares are finding their way onto our computers. There are 195 countries in this world and India has the most Instagram users, counting up to 360 million. A very common term floating on YouTube is “brain-rot”.
I myself have been through this entire phenomenon. This is how it went. I really love drawing, but sometimes I felt lazy and went to search on YouTube for drawing tutorials, or even when I wanted to build something out of Lego, I would not even try once before referring to a step-by-step video. I would go on to continue this no-brain-involved practice for a few months. Before I even noticed I lost all sense of imagination. When I picked up the pencil to draw without a screen the only thing that would happen is that I ended up staring at the sheet. For a few days my mind went blank, as a result I had no idea what to draw and how to draw. I started asking my mother what to draw, or to give me ideas for drawing.
I realized that I had relied so much on a screen for everything, that my mind went blank every time there was not a screen 2-inches from my nose. I just stopped thinking. After I had realized the bitter truth, I decided to stop and my mother helped by taking away my iPad. We strictly monitored my screen time. This practice along with the fact that I stopped slacking off at home and went out to start playing Cricket. This helped a lot. I felt much more confident whenever I sat without a screen. Moreover, I started using my mind, my creativity and my ideas. Ideas flowing in my mind once again.
The experience might sound like an exaggeration, but that is my most honest review on my condition back then. I also found out that the first time I started the practice of leaving screen, I felt very irritated, angry and agitated, so when your mind comes off the screen for the first time in a while, that time period must be handled carefully and patiently.
I would like to say that please limit your screen time as much as possible and I don’t want anyone else to go through the torment I went through. So, if you increase your screen time, you may end up with very limited imagination and creativity. You don’t need to completely quit using screens, just stop being dependent on it.
If you are facing the same issue, just keep your devices aside and go out to play, make new friends, explore your inner self, do the things which you love to do besides screen, for example, spending time in nature or listening to your favorite music, something that helped me was reading many funny books. It will bring happiness. All you need is a touch of creativity in your life to paint a 10 feet tall canvas.
Good luck, I’m Arhaan Ahmad, signing off.
