Paul Miller, the man who cut off the Internet for 1 year - Generation NT

If

is undergoing a power connection for a few minutes, hours or days horrifies you, know that for some of us this one day real need to cut ties with the virtual world.

This is the case of Paul Miller, a reporter for The Verge, ultimate self-proclaimed geek who has chosen to remain “AFK” (disconnected) for a full year to test the concept of addiction to the net, but also to measure the importance of Internet in the lives of modern humans settled in a society increasingly connected.

also one of the main reasons cited by the reporter he thought when the Internet made it less efficient, rendered unproductive and cut him any inspiration. The disconnection is then presented to him as an opportunity to write a book.

Supported by his employer, The Verge has continued to pay for the time of the experiment, and Paul Miller has disconnected the Ethernet cable on April 30, 2012. Its Hotspot has been disabled, and he also swapped his smartphone for Mobile does not allow access to the Net.

Followed by a cameraman colleague during a large part of the experience, he told and quickly enjoyed a kind of euphoria, finding the taste for simple things, up to declare the year future would be simple and natural.

For a few months, Paul Miller has increased the physical encounters with his friends, lost nearly 7 kg. Galvanized by the remarks of his friends and family on his change of appearance and more cheerful air, the reporter quickly taken advantage of the first benefits of the disconnection.

Unfortunately, the euphoria did not last long, and solitude is quickly installed, as boredom. He swallowed large amounts of books, reading various works like the Odyssey per pack of 100 pages.

isolation is nevertheless quickly feel, enjoying his stay connected social networks and e-mails for entertaining friends, Paul Miller is rarely aware of parties and gatherings.

journalist tells the little pleasures and surprises of daily life as a return to the use of a paper map to guide him or her inability to find a paper equivalent to Wikipedia for information on an unfamiliar topic. Nothing insurmountable, but experience has shown that the Internet certainly made things a little too easy, and that too much could be used aback found the day or the Web decide to close its doors (so voluntary or not).

end of 2012, the reporter describes a situation far removed from what he expected. There remains cloistered at home, spends his days on the couch eating pizza and playing on his games console to fill the boredom. He is then written any page of the book he wanted to write, and became aware of it broke off bad habits online to find new real life.

not read any more, preferring to listen to audio books without really paying attention since playing his games console at the same time.

At the balance sheet, Paul Miller is mixed. While the Internet has made him rediscover some basic pleasures and has given him a sense of time, he also established the Internet was not the source of his problems productivity.

In addition, it appears that it is quite difficult to stay out of the web and, paradoxically, social life, in the hyper-connected environments, is very difficult without the Internet. Whether the mails, social networks and other platforms, anyone who gets out of the web site is also partly outside the company.

Aware

losing its new time on the Web, Paul Miller has finally reconnected on 1 May 2013. Whatever the risks, “at least I would be connected,” he shares.