大象传媒

This weekend hundreds of people across the UK and Ireland were left stranded as a result of a technical glitch at an air traffic control centre caused by problems with the internal telephone system. Angry passengers took to social media to vent their frustrations at delays and cancellations. Last week as I was returning from abroad there was an alert that there might be flight delays and cancellations because of an impending storm. I was panicked for a moment at the thought of not getting home that night as if another day away would be some kind of major calamity.

It's a particular phenomenon of today鈥檚 society that we're so dependent on technology and its ability to change our moods even a sense of well being. Our exaggerated language reflects a very modern exasperation. Delays are time wasted, cancellations are nightmares and anything which stops us moving on time, well, someone somewhere is cursed.

Technology has on the one hand improved our lives immeasurably, the kind of things we take for granted such as running water, electricity, gas, washing machines and television. And then there's the technology which has revolutionised our lives, become the potent addictions of contemporary living, our smart phones, laptops etc. They're not just useful but have almost become an extension of ourselves with the word nomophobia coined as the fear of being without your phone. It's been defined as a love affair which is both enabling and crippling. The versatility of the mobile phone means that many people don't just talk or text on the phone, they store their whole lives on them. Social media can be fun but I think there鈥檚 a narcissistic emotional appeal to being informed, being contacted of being wanted, all of which are present in the way we communicate today. We want instant access and contact as if the fullness of our lives lies ultimately in these connections.

But if such gadgets have given us convenience, changed the way we think, behave and communicate, they've also made us vulnerable. Carrying a phone around in case the children ring forces a strange daily anxiety. A generation ago I wonder how my parents cared for me without the constant fear of a phone ringing? I once asked my mother what she did when she was worried she replied I pray. She quoted the Qur'an to say `faith is about patience, perseverance and prayer. Always have hope in God.' While most religions have embraced technology as a way of communicating all kinds of messages, I wonder whether our desire for instant answers and access has affected our ability to hope and wait. There's no substitute for solitude and prayer but I know when I'm worried or upset turning to God can often go hand in hand with looking for my phone.

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