After watching the film Disconnected, which followed Carleton college students as they spent three months without their computers, I couldn’t help but cringe every time they had to use a typewriter for an academic assignment. They spent hours upon hours copying their papers, rewriting them, and starting over when they made too many mistakes. I certainly advocate limiting use of superfluous technology, but when taken to the extreme in an academic setting, I felt the results were too inconvenient to give a real platform to talk about how we use technology. Spending hours slaving over a typewriter is sure to create animosity toward the whole venture, in much the same way that not being able to send an important email is. In these cases the inconvenience created resentment, in some cases causing “cheating” and other behavior technically not allowed for the assignment.

I would, however, say that the students who used their computers on select occasions exhibited a healthier approach to technology than those who slogged through until the end. Outright media refusal in a media-saturated academic environment not only creates inconvenience for the refuser, but also for those around him or her. Teachers who had to read messy typewritten documents, and library assistants who had to spend hours helping the students find research materials also suffered. Technology is not just created for the convenience of those using the technology, but also those around them. So while the desire to leave computer-free is noble, the reality of the academic landscape makes outright rejection of technology unrealistic and even slightly inconsiderate. Imagine, for a moment, that some professors refused to check email. Students could perhaps still call them, but because of the email-heavy framework that surrounds them, would the students be as likely to get in touch with them to ask questions? My guess is no. Sure, we should be adaptable when it comes to technology, but outright refusal in this day and age is not conducive to being a real and active member of society. A contemplative approach to computing, like David Levy suggests, is far better.