(本文刊載於台灣醒報 2013年8月26日)
這世界變化速度之快，令人難以想像。十幾年前，在那網路和手機尚未發達的年代，誰能料想到，現今離不開網路和智慧型手機的生活型態。現代人每天都有各式各樣看不完的資訊，強調快速、即時性。在這資訊爆炸、社群網站流行的時代，邊做事邊查看即時訊息，邊聊天邊滑手機，有時連走路、開車、吃飯都「機不離手」，「一心多用」已成為現代人的常態，「專注」已成為奢侈品，我不禁懷念起從前……
The world is
changing at an unimaginable speed. Almost
twenty years ago, when internet and cell phones were not as common, who would
think that they would become an indispensable part of our lives. Modern people
take in an endless variety of information everyday, emphasizing rapidity and
real-time. In this era of information overload and widespread use of social
networking sites, we work while checking instant messages, we chat while
swiping a smartphone, and at times even walking,
driving, or eating are done with "machine hands",
"multi-tasking" has already become a norm for modern people, and
"focus" has become a luxury. I can't help but miss the past....
還記得沒有網路和手機的日子是怎麼過的嗎？似乎也別有風味吧！當時，每逢過生日、聖誕節、過新年，都會非常期待收到溫馨的手寫賀卡，我也很樂在為朋友挑選適合他的卡片，並親筆寫下祝福的話語。偶爾，甚至會收到好友親手創作的卡片，或用獨特的信紙親筆寫的信函，見字如見其人，讓人倍感親切，反覆品味。但現今伴隨著網路高科技的普及，快速方便的電子郵件、電子賀卡、即時通訊和手機簡訊，幾乎取代了「有溫度的」手寫信件及卡片。仔細回想一下，你有多久沒收到親筆書信或手寫賀卡呢？真的不想念嗎？
Does
anyone still remember how we lived life without the internet or cell phones? Life
was completely different! At the time, every birthday, Christmas, and New Year
would all be fraught with anticipation to receive a warm handwritten greeting
card. I was also happy choosing the most suitable cards for friends, while
penning down my blessings and wishes. Occasionally, I would even receive a good
friend's homemade card, or handwritten letters with unique stationery; seeing
their words is like seeing that person, it brings a warm feeling, a repeated fondness read after read. But these
days, the popularity of the internet and high-tech, fast and convenient e-mail,
e-cards, instant messaging and text messages, has essentially replaced our
"warm" handwritten letters and cards. If you carefully recall, how
long has it been since you received a handwritten letter or greeting cards? You
really don't miss it?
但若從未親身經歷過，哪來的想念？我的孩子們出生在「網路世代」，每當我和他們分享過去寫信、寄信、等信、收信、拆信、讀信的樂趣，以及逢年過節或過生日時，打開樓下信箱，被滿溢的賀卡包圍的幸福感受，基本上，他們只能想像卻無法完全體會，正如我們無法全然體會古時「飛鴿傳書」或「快馬送信」的生活面貌一樣。在不斷追求時效性的同時，我們失落了什麼？
At
the same time, if you've never experienced it before, then what is there to
miss? My children were born into the "internet generation", every
time I share with them the past joy of writing, sending, waiting, receiving,
opening, and reading letters, as well as during holidays and birthdays, opening
the mailbox downstairs, which was overflowing with greeting cards enclosed with
happy feelings, basically, they can only imagine but not fully experience, just
as we cannot fully experience the same aspects of life from the ancient
"pigeon carriers" or the "pony express". In the constant
pursuit of timeliness, what have we lost?
我們失落了一顆專注的心，和一份人與人之間的深度關懷。現代人要「專心」談何容易？在工作與生活中，我們經常做事做到一半被打斷，因為手機鈴響、簡訊或電子郵件通知，或者想查看臉書上的朋友動態、有誰按讚留言……等等，而讓我們無法專心做事，有太多事會讓我們分心！我們無形中不知花了多少時間在接聽不必要的電話，閱讀不重要的訊息。我們失去了「專注做好一件事」所帶來的滿足與喜樂。
We've lost focus of heart, and the deep concern between one and
others. For modern people to concentrate, it is easier said than done. In work
and life, we constantly getting cut off in the middle of doing things,
because of ringtones, SMS or e-mail notifications, or we'd like to check the
activities of our friends on facebook, to see who 'likes' our status and leaves
a message, etc., making us unable to focus on work, there's too many things
that will keep us distracted! We virtually don't
know how much time we've spent answering unnecessary
calls, reading unimportant messages. We've lost the satisfaction and joy that
comes with doing things one step at a time.
有時，朋友們聚餐或出遊，大家習慣性地用數位相機或手機猛拍照，拍食物、拍合照、拍風景……幾乎「無所不拍」，然後又忙著打卡、上傳照片到網路與人分享，接著又開始滑手機看網友的回應。在這種情況下，似乎連要和朋友「專心」聊天、談心、建立深層友誼，「專心」用肉眼欣賞週遭景物，「專心」享受當下，都顯得困難重重！
Sometimes,
friends will go out to eat or travel. Everyone habitually uses a digital camera
or camera phone to take pictures; pictures of food, group pictures, pictures of
scenery....there's almost "no picture to not take". Then, they're
busy ‘checking in’, uploading photos to
share with others, then they start swiping away, looking for responses from
online friends. In this case, it seems that even if you want to
"focus" on chatting, talking, or building deep relationships with friends,
"focus" on admiring the surrounding scenery with the naked eye, or
"focus" on enjoying the moment, all are going to be pretty difficult!
我尤其為現今「網路世代」的孩子們感到憂心。雖然科技帶來的好處無庸置疑，但如今有許多老師發現，學生「專注力」普遍降低，科技帶來的干擾大於幫助。這世代的孩子從小接觸數位多媒體的聲光環境，長期沉浸在聲光刺激與一心多用的生活型態，對孩子的專注力與學習力都會產生不良影響。我們出外常會看見這個景象：有些家長怕孩子吵，就把平板電腦、智慧型手機當成「保母」，給幼童當玩具玩，長時間低頭玩網路遊戲，這會讓孩子的視力和身心健康受損。而青少年「手機成癮」現象也日趨嚴重。最近聽到一些家中有青少年的父母，很苦惱地說到，孩子下課回家後，就待在房間上網，玩線上遊戲，和同學們用通訊工具Line聊天到半夜，也因此很少與家人有良好的交談和互動。在同儕壓力下，青少年甚至小學生，看見自己的同學有智慧型手機，就會要求父母親也買給他們，身為父母者，真的要三思而後行啊！
I'm especially
worried for the kids of today's "Internet Generation". While
technology can bring benefits beyond doubt, recently, many teachers have found the
general attention span of students has dropped, so
that technology’s benefits do not outweigh the disruption to students. This
generation of kids come in contact with this digital multi-media environment of
light and sound at a young age, long-term immersion in a lifestyle of
multi-tasking and stimulating lights and sounds will have adverse effects on
the child's attention span and ability to study. We go out and often see this
scene: some parents fear their child will be noisy, so they let a tablet PC or
a smartphone be a "nanny". They give it to children to play as a toy,
all their time is spent with their head down playing internet games, which
makes the child's vision, physical and mental health suffer. The teenage
phenomenon of "phone addiction" is also becoming increasingly
serious. Recently we've heard a few parents of teenagers, miserably explain,
when their child leaves school and comes home, they stay in their room and surf
the net, play online games, use the communication tool 'Line' to talk with
classmates till midnight, and because of this, they rarely have a quality
conversation or interaction with their family. Under peer pressure, teenagers,
and even elementary school students, will see their classmates with a smartphone,
and beg their parents to buy one for them. As parents, we really need to think
twice!
網路世界真真假假、假假真真，無論各樣資訊或人際關係裡的真假都難以分辨。你感到累了倦了嗎？說真的，有時好懷念從前，嚮往過去那比較簡單、比較專注又踏實的生活。但隨著科技發展日新月異，我知道我們回不去了……
The world wide
web is full of half-truths and un-truths, no matter what kind of information or
personal relationship, it's hard to discern between true and false. Aren't you
feeling tired or weary? Honestly, there are times when I really miss the past,
longing for that fairly simple, focused and practical life. But with each
passing day technology advances, I know we can't go back....
然而，在真假難辨的世界中，「真理」始終存在著。不管「專注」對現代人來說是多麼奢侈的要求，親愛的主啊！「求你叫我轉眼不看虛假，又叫我在你的道中生活」（詩篇119篇37節），因為祢曾說：「你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由」（約翰福音八章32節）。
作者:譚亞菁 Aug. 7, 2013
Translated by Parker
Gadbois
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