Luddites

Is it OK to be a Luddite?

In an essay in 1984 - at the dawn of the computer era - the novelist Thomas Pynchon wondered if it was “OK to be a Luddite,” meaning someone who opposes technological progress.

And here we are, in 2020, and I’m thinking it is OK to be a Luddite, and we need to impose a bit of the Luddite into our everyday lives.

Who were the Luddites?

The word ‘Luddites’ refers to British weavers and textile workers who objected to the introduction of mechanised looms. In 1779, a group of English textile workers in Manchester rebelled against the introduction of machinery which they felt threatened their skill and craft as highly trained artisans.

The Luddites were not, as has often been portrayed, against industrialisation, but instead against the mechanisation that threatened their livelihood and the skills they had spent years acquiring.

Why do we need a bit of Luddite in our Lives?

One word – phones.

Our phones are invaluable resources, they are books, emails, social media channels, news outlets, encyclopaedias, ways of looking at family and friends’ photos from around the world and watching strange cat videos. They are also habitual, addictive scrolling machines.

Having gone through the challenges of Dubai lockdown and experiencing the continued strange events happening around the world, it can be reassuring to turn to the phone for the familiarity and reassurance of our social media or other sources of entertainment. There can be a sense of urgency in terms of needing to keep up to date with Covid rules, regulations and changes around the world.

Do we ever stop to think how much of an impact our phone habit has on our everyday lives? How much the phone could be de-skilling us? Most significantly, for us in education – how negative our phone habits can be for our own and teenagers’ mental health, sleep and well-being.

Negative impacts of too much phone use in the evenings

1) It will take you longer to fall asleep

2) It will decrease your REM sleep

REM sleep is a stage of sleep that is critical for restoration of your mind and body. REM sleep solidifies memories and is tied to your creative and problem-solving skills.

3) It will make you more alert when you want to wind down

You think lying in bed, reading your phone is relaxing? Wrong. Research shows that it wakes you up, making you feel alert, less sleepy, and more likely to delay trying to go to sleep.

4) You will feel more tired and less alert when you wake up

A Harvard study found that reading a screen before sleeping will cause you to feel sleepy and groggy when you wake up in the morning.

Embracing the Luddite within

No, we don’t need to destroy our phones, as the Luddites destroyed the looms that they felt threatened their skills. We just need to be aware of the impact our phones have on us and PUT THEM DOWN.

3 top LUDDITE TIPS

1. Set an alarm on your phone for at least an hour before your usual bedtime – when the alarm goes off – the phone goes down.
2. No phones in bedrooms – leave the phones downstairs when you go to bed.
3. When you use your phone and want to “chill”, set yourself a time limit for how long you’re allowed on. Set the 30 minute timer, then get off.

Have a relaxing weekend!

Mrs Sian Davies

Teacher of English