Blame the Blackberry
It is time for the holidays again. The general i dea is to take a moment, reflect, tune out, and rest up for a new year. The term holiday has been redefined in recent years by the option to stay plugged in to the office while on vacation. The percentage of Americans who plan to stay connected during the holidays via the BlackBerry (or whatever their chosen device) has more than doubled within the last year.
What is going on with this BlackBerry? I had a thirty minute conversation on a plane a few weeks ago with a fellow who demonstrated genuine passion about various models. He definitely had very positive feelings about the tool. Many more people exclaim how much they hate the BlackBerry while they engage with the instrument at least three times every hour. I call this group the Blame the BlackBerry Set. They blame the BlackBerry for their inability to have a life. They can cite chapter and verse how much the tool interferes.
Can you imagine people in the 1970's blaming the electric typewriter for personal problems? Seriously, it is quite intriguing how much emotion (mostly negative) is aroused as a result of these tools. What is the deal?
Humans are generally motivated by the Big Three Needs: the need to feel in control, the need to feel important, and the need to be in the know. The Blackberry offers us an opportunity to meet all three needs with our opposable thumbs. We can fire off an email and feel in control and important at the same time. We can check our full inbox and feel in the know and important at the same time.
Stop and think the next time you reach for that BlackBerry! And have a great holiday season whether you stay plugged in or not!
