Thoughtless

thought·less  (thôtls)

adj.

1. Marked by or showing lack of due thought or care

2. Inconsiderate; inattentive

3. Lacking thought
 

I forgot to bring out my phone today. I'm not sure if I would like to admit the degeneration of my already pretty short-term memory, but forgetting my phone is becoming a norm nowadays. I used to lament the inconvenience of living a day without the ubiquitous iPhone that has come to dominate most of the spaces in between my activities. The tendency to pull out the phone at every free slot to surf the net, to play a game, to connect on Facebook was increasingly becoming a subconscious habit, eating away precious thought space in the name of efficiency, connectivity and mobility. But I realize today how dumb I've become with this smart phone in my life. Oh the irony. I lament the man I've degenerated into.

Without my iPhone for my usual entertainment (e.g. podcasts, playlists, mindless games of exploding birds and fishes in bubble nets...) on the train ride to work, I turned to what I used to do when smart phones were a thing of the past - reading. I pulled out the latest copy of National Geographic from my bag, with Cleopatra and her bangs (doesn't that remind you of the lovely Sonia Lee from Jayesslee??), adorned by the trademark bright yellow rectangular frame that naturalists all around the world have come to love.

I read through the WHOLE magazine in the to and fro rides from house to work, covering articles that spanned ancient Egypt, thinning polar bears and cannibalism, a Noah's ark for seeds in case of worldwide destruction, learning about 18 different varieties of potatoes, etc. I read the story of a war veteran's journey back to Baghdad, Iraq and how the people still suffer from the lack of basic necessities post-war. Freedom has come, but at a high price. I began to ponder what life would have been like had I been born in Baghdad in the heart of Iraq under Saddam instead of Kendang Kerbau Hospital in the heart of Singapore under LKY. I looked up around me at the faces in the train, at the beauty of tranquility that Singaporeans have long taken for granted, the abundance of food that have filled our stomachs - organs which could have easily starved through the walls in times of wars, the peace of mind of walking down a street without fears of losing a limb to a roadside bomb, and I gave thanks to God who put me here in this beautiful country.

I read an article about how the jasmine revolution in Tunisia and Egypt was aided by Twitter, and studied an infographic that tracked tweets during the revolutions. I learned more about social media in that 40 minute ride than in my hours of mindless games and Facebook on the iPhone. I shudder at the thought of a city filled with people absorbed by a 3 by 2 inch screen in their hands. The smart phone has made me none the wiser. My lack of it has made me think even much more. Thoughtless - that was what I have become. Perhaps it's time to ditch the smart revolution. And return to the wisdom of old. To live simply. To stop. And think.

When was the last time you picked up a book on the train to read - to read and reflect?