....and I believe it.
Once in a while, the internet is great for getting ideas for your DIY, craft or refashion projects.
But it also destroys your creativity.
Ask yourself these questions, how much time do you spend in front of the screen?
What do you do?
- Aimless surfing and searching for long periods of time?
- Social networking?
- Taking strange surveys?
- Watching videos ?
I have a friend who loves watching videos on how to make wonderful meals, but she has never made any of them. It won't do any good if you don't put it into practice. I wonder how many people really end up making them after "liking" and "sharing" them on their timeline.
We devote huge chunks of our time to the internet that we forget how to use our hands. What about the next generation?
"Children have got to be taught hands-on, and not to become mobile phone or computer dependent.
They should use computers as and when, but there are so many people playing with their computers nowadays that spend all their time sitting there with a stomach. They are dependent on Google searches. A lot of kids will become fairly brain-dead if they become so dependent on the internet, because they will not be able to do things the old-fashioned way." Trevor Baylis, inventor of wind-up radio
We should be doing things that nurture our creativity - reading, writing, making things, playing, using our imagination.
If you want the inspiration, perhaps a walk in the park, some meditation or even a face-to-face conversation with a friend could help spark some ideas. Don't go to Pinterest! Ideas may come from the internet but inspiration comes from what you experience in life, and this is what gives you your unique take on it.
Here were some of the things that inspired me during the past week - and they were NOT from the internet.
I chanced upon these lovelies during a meeting. They were tossed behind the building - why would anyone want to throw them away? They would make a nice necklace.
Found these nice sticks and leaves for a workshop.
I saw these shadows during a hot day - I'm thinking this could make a lovely print!
This is what my friend wore when we met, and it got me thinking about another refashion project.
The internet can be fun, but it also can be addictive. Don't let it take you away from what you are most passionate about.
These are very wise words, Agatha. I often feel like I'm attached to my computer, and I hate it! I'm also guilty of pinning hundreds of recipes on Pinterest and I haven't tried making even one. I do meditate and run outside everyday, but I still spend way too much time at the computer. I love your pictures by the way, those pieces of colored glass are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI pin so much that I forget what I have pinned! I think moderation is the key.
DeleteI totally agree that the internet can suck up all your time if not careful , but then again I also gain a lot of inspiration from the internet as well. Projects I see spark my creativity into new directions and I am one of those who does use my hands and imagination on a regular basis. The internet is also a great place to connect with other creatives through social media, and a way to grow your creative business through those connections as well. I find that the internet only enhances all that I am passionate about.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your perspective, Brenda. I do find that it's good to allocate time to connecting with other creatives and growing the business. There was one point in time where i was focussing too much time on that that I lost time to do the creative things.
DeleteIt is true. The Internet has its pros and cons for sure. Having a blog, I find myself in front of it much more than I would like. My family and I try to get out and do things as often as we can together and my daughter and her colorful imagination offer far more inspiration than the computer. We all need a reminder every now and again not to be a slave to technology.
ReplyDeleteI agree that kids and adults are way too fixated on the internet and their devices. There's a whole big beautiful world right in front of you and it's not on a smart phone.
ReplyDeleteYes the internet is certainly a time vampire .
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post
I love this post. Everything you say is so true. Pinterest is indeed a double-edged sword. It gives you tons of ideas, and you get that you want to do so many of the projects you find on it, and bit by bit, you find that it's harder to come up with ideas of your own. But if you take a step or two away, you really can find inspiration everywhere! :) Lisa
ReplyDeleteYou make some valid points, but I wonder if children should be encouraged to use technology at younger ages, except they should be trained to use the devices responsibly. I am referencing your quote by Trevor Baylis. For example, my kids have been on computers since they were four and five, but they both have full and active lives away from their phones and computers as well. With every privilege comes an equal and corresponding responsibility. The fact is that nothing in life works if it falls out of balance - computers and gadgets are just the last category, in which this has happened.
ReplyDeleteHere's some great info on kids and the stress levels they face these days that may be part of the reason why it is so easy for them to tune out of life and tune into technology. http://www.strictly-stress-management.com/stress_management_for_kids.html Cheers!
This is such good advice! Witj y blog I feel I am constantly on the internet, which has actually helped me not allow it to overtake my life. I have a set time for work and then I am done. Random perusing, ignoring people in my life, or loosing hours to the intnert is not a struggle for me anymore. I noticed the difference!
ReplyDeleteYou speak the truth here, Agy! I sometimes think that we are in the middle of a big social experiment with ourselves as guinea pigs, and that it won't end well. :-(
ReplyDeleteEverything done in excess is not optimal.
ReplyDeleteLife is about finding balance so that we can enjoy all aspects of it equally: friends, family, outdoors, internet, offline world.
Lovely pieces you found.
I'm totally addicted to my screens. I work as a content writer during the day and then work on my blog at night (or let's be honest just surf the net). I do need to step away from my laptop if I want to come up with a truly original idea.
ReplyDeleteToo true, Agy!!! I'd gain a lot of extra time if I stopped surfing the net and spending time on social media.
ReplyDeleteYes yes yes! The internet is a massive time suck and it is too easy to be drawn in and waste time with complete trivia! You sound so much like me with your creativity - finding things to make into something pretty or seeing shadows to photograph - I have masses of those! I am so much more content in the studio area of my office either crafting or setting up photographic shoots. I love looking down the other end at my computer and thinking - yup - I am ignoring you! What a refreshing post this is. Oh - and before I forget (like I have done with most of the others!) - I found you on the Friday Blog Party.
ReplyDeleteYou are SO right, Agy! I feel most frustrated on those evenings when I realize that I spent so much time "learning stuff" (i.e., reading/watching stuff, even good stuff, on the internet), that I didn't have time to DO stuff. The internet is a wonderful tool, and I love it -- well, duh, I'm a blogger! ;-) But it can also be numbing. We are instituting a new pattern in our house about electronics at night, meaning we need to greatly reduce their use! Just because we are doing things that need to be done, doesn't mean we are doing things that need to be done right then when we should be doing something else (like talking to the people there with us).
ReplyDelete