Searching for Something and Obtaining Nothing Essay Example for Free

Searching for Something and Obtaining Nothing Essay In â€Å"Seeking†, Emily Yoffe shares with us her thoughts of what she believes is taking over our original basic desires and being replaced with an obsession for a constant need to gather or receive information with disregard to everything else. I can relate to what she is stating because I see it happening everyday around me; people walking around with their faces looking down into their smart phones. Almost everyone I come in contact with has a laptop, Ipad or tablet carrying around with them. You see them in the parks, malls, bookstore tech-ed out and they are all searching forever searching forever seeking and waiting for the next text, the Yahoo you got mail or that Tweet alerting them that someone cared enough or too little by sending them a message by such an impersonal means of communication. Yoffe speaks about a friend who has an insatiable need to view random facts about famous people when dining out with her boyfriend. So caught up is Nina that she ignores her boyfriend who is sitting right across the table from her. This is what Yoffe means when she states, â€Å"chasing after flickering bits of information.† By analyzing her article, I hope to further persuade techno junkies of the negative effects that Yoffe seems to imply but not directly stating it. Yoffe uses creditable sources to give us reasons on why we should put the machines down. The book titled, Animals in Translation, by Temple Grandin, Yoffe talks of two cats who were being driven crazy from chasing a laser pointer even though they could never catch it. Think of Kim Kardashian who is always driven to read each blog, on-line trash mag, like TMZ to see what is being posted about her. If you have ever watched Keeping up with the Kardashians you see her literally tearing herself apart searching for this information and crying because of the hurtful things people have said about her. That to me is form of torture for Kim Kardashian , but at the same time it’s fueling a physical need of hers, that has her searching for information of herself. Thus providing some sort of feel good moment that though what she is reading might be awful, she makes her feel adored by the public. If it was you, would you sit all day or part of the day looking for negative information of yourself? Yoffe this point is using logical reasons that could be used to get a techno junkie up off their butts to actually pursue real live activities. The research information by noted neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp who has spent years researching and mapping people’s brains and proving that like real physical items that we obtain, the act of seeking and finding gives euphoria by releasing a chemical substance called dopamine. Yoffe also points out that this feels so good we constantly are doing things to reach this state to make us feel good; to me that sound like a person who uses drugs to keep getting a high or a fix. All things which are not healthy for you when overindulging. Even before reading this article I was already aware of the dangers or risk to my health and how addictive this has become. I enjoy modern conveniences as much as the next person. I enjoy being able to sit at home and do my banking and ooVoo with my children who live in Connecticut. I remember when this was part of a sci-fi movie, camera phones. I have learnt from YouTube how to expertly apply my makeup and even gotten better advice on how to take care of my hair! However, I began to notice a few years that cell phones used to be a luxury item, has now become standard issue and almost an extension of our body. People have such a hard time putting down their cells no matter where they maybe. I see them in church while the pastor is preaching, they are texting or on Facebook. Is it really that serious, can it not wait until after service? I can remember being upstairs in my bedroom and texting my children to bring me a cup of water. Back in the day I would have gotten up and got it myself or called out to them. I’m not saying the modern technology is bad; it has its good points. For instance, when I had a car accident I was able to immediately call for help and get it sooner than having to hope and pray someone would call when they reached the nearest phone. It allows me to be able to work from home, like when I first moved to Kentucky and the company I was working for contracted my services for a few months until they could hire a replacement. I don’t think Yoffe is trying to scare you off of technology, just advise you that we are moving from a culture that once were out in the world searching for new and exciting things we could touch and feel to sitting at home and searching for stuff we can’t feel. So put down the devices and get out and smell the roses. References Yoffe, E. (2011). Seeking, In X. J. Kennedy, D.M. Kennedy M.F. Muth (Eds.) The Bedford guide For college writers (9th ed.) (pp. 599-601). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s