As my first post in a medium form, I am delighted in the format in which I write but also the inspiration that created the desire to pick up my digital quill and dip into the binary inkwell once more…

The brilliance of “12 years a slave” as a text and cinematic experience.

The power of turning off your digital social tools

I am approaching the end of a fabulous break and after returning from the US, I have a few further days of recuperation before I fire up the work cognition once more.

As a result of my remaining days, I have just returned from viewing “12 years a slave” directed by Steve McQueen. So, nothing remarkable about this activity but the inspiration to write once again was driven by this remarkable book and my break in tandem. You see, the break was from employment but it was also a break from social media and sharing…two activities that have been part of my and the worlds very being for a long time. The film and book have been a catalyst to how I view my interactions with technology.

I deleted my social apps on my break.

This meant that my time was spent using social media 1.0.

By this clumsy phrase, I mean reading, writing and talking.

So, dear reader, this means that I read 12 years as a book ahead of seeing it on the big screen; As a result, I had a richer experience that made me think long and hard about how I use technology or more importantly, how it uses me. I am convinced that allowing my umbilical links to technology to be broken for a short while allowed me to return my brain to a true state of information osmosis that it actually thrives upon…I allowed myself to isolate to one task alone, relaxation and reading.

(The more observant will notice this is two but I am enjoying this cerebal conflict so will not amend!)

I am convinced my ability to concentrate and to really understand the impact of great stories has been hampered by the culture of sharing. This culture is something I have both propagated and submerged to the point of drowning via this very information.

My connection to this film was more profound as a result of tuning out for a while. I guess the same would be true of any film or any media I would use today following the break but it just so happened it was richer as a result of a move to “learning” over “sharing” in the last week.

I started my drive home from the cinema today, my mind racing with images I read it in a different way. This was done as a result of feeding my brainbox with copious amounts of relaxation, experiences and the aforementioned digital starvation…and it was a wonderful thing. I gave myself the opportunity to relax and learn by truly turning off.

My return to work later in the week is something my mind will be ready for because I gave it a chance.

The film was a revelation and although this is not designed as a review, I struggle to think of a film more poignant, incredibly acted and carefully rendered by direction in my time. I have no doubt that it will win all it deserves at the academy awards at the weekend. This will undoubtedly ensure this becomes a text in many history syllabus’ beyond the diary of Anne Franks account of persecution and terror. (Footnote; It certainly was not in mine and I am almost embarrassed at the lack of knowledge I held on this area of america and world history)

The irony of all my thoughts penned above, is that I am sharing it in a digital form and of course you will be consuming this via a smartphone or a laptop currently with other feeds pinging in as you read.

The other irony is that my consumption of my source text was via a digital download and read from the Google Play Store…the key thing was however, I then turned it to airplane mode, deleted my social apps and did not look back.

So, I leave you with two thoughts and if anything written here resonated with you, please take this as a mission…

Read “12 years as a slave” as a text and then enjoy the cinematic experience in that order.

Turn off your digital social tools and give yourself a break from time to time.

Must dash, a few holiday snaps to now put up onto Facebook…..