For the past 48 hours, I have been completely alone. My laptop has been turned off (well, my wireless connection – I still played games and watched movies), as was my cell phone and my television. I did not risk watching programmed television, as it could have had a commercial or breaking news story that would have meant I cheated in my goal.
Thinking about what Deresiewicz said in his article, I could definitely understand the need for constant contact and communication. According to him, “our greatest fear is not submersion by the mass but isolation from the herd;” we do not lament fitting in, but we hate being left out of the loop (p. 3). That feeling of isolation is not something we want to feel all the time; at the same time, it is refreshing now and then to have some solitude.
For the first few hours, I was completely and totally fine – I had a good book to read, and I had several video games to play. However, by the beginning of the second day certainly (and some ways into the first), I started to miss having those other people around. I felt the temptation of hanging out with them, which would certainly not been in violation of the blackout. However, it would not have been fair to them to ask them to not talk about the news events of the day – it is often a major part of their interactions, and I knew they could not help themselves. So, I stayed quiet.
The second day came along, and despite that pull to find out what is going on, I remained firm. I did have to substitute news watching with plenty of other activities including the aforementioned movies and games. I even finished a book I’d been meaning to read for a long time now. All in all, the isolation and solitude did not affect me overmuch; I managed to fill my time appropriately.
I most definitely felt the links to solitude that Dereseiwicz felt; while there was a big of loneliness present, I also found I did not miss the prattling on of some about the latest news event, nor did I feel the need to entertain my friends, as though it were a chore. Normally, I feel pressure to keep up with the news to have spirited debates with my peers about the events of the day; this time, I felt only solitude. I did not need to overly prepare my points in advance, or think too hard about the news – it was rather freeing, to be completely honest.
In conclusion, I definitely survived and thrived the news blackout, but I don’t think I would voluntarily do it again. Dereseiwicz’ cry of “Solitude isn’t easy, and isn’t for everyone” is most definitely my credo after this; and solitude definitely isn’t for me. While it was nice to have the peace and quiet, I want to be plugged in to the latest news, no matter how trivial; I never feel like ‘part of the herd’ when discussing news around my friends, as we always have spirited debates and weigh our disparate opinions against each other. All in all, it is a rewarding aspect of our friendship (and our desire to be informed) that I would not give up for anything.
Works Cited
Dereseiwicz, William. “The End of Solitude.” The Chronicle Review.
