Alexandra Smith, writing in Atlantic Online, has a refreshing piece called “Plug In Better: A Manifesto.”She writes that simply unplugging to get back in touch with the analog and f2f world, to have better interactions with family, friends, and colleagues, is ultimately unrealistic because the digital permeates what we do so much that we cannot readily live our lives without being plugged in. She argues instead that when one is online, one should focus on being online, should, maybe pull shades, shut doors, turn off phones, and focus solely on what one is doing online. She suggests that families might carve out shared online spaces and activities instead of trying to force everyone to meet off line.
I think the business world may be a bit better at doing the meeting-on-line part, but I can imagine the strategies she suggests working in all aspects of our online professional and personal lives.