We are in a new dawn: an era of technological advancements and social media connectivity. Many people have an access to a smartphone and they are directly connected to social media platforms. Bravo to the new technology!
However, as it has become the swag of this new era, we are becoming too much obsessed with phones than people. We want to chat on all platforms but we cannot maintain a face to face conversation. I hear some people make jokes that we even want to get orgasm from phones. This is a pitty. The way we remain glued on our phones all day, every day is such a disturbing thing.
Critical thinking has been replaced by Google and people can no longer think for themselves. Small issues that require solid thinking cannot be done because of our patterned way of looking at things and as such, thinking in the modern world has to be jumpstarted by a Google engine, and more worse, the AI tools such as Chat GPT.
It is even unfortunate that an ordinary citizen of this country, the one who is so much affected with phones cannot stand and address a group of people. They cannot make a speech and sometimes, they even Google how they can interact with people. A colleague shared with me about a teacher on teaching practice who googled her first address on the assembly during introduction.
These engines are available to help us ease the tension of our lives but are not entirely to be relied on as the Alpha and omega. When we use our phones, they create algorithms, in which the more we like and share and subscribe, these algorithms create a kind of a tribal belonging to us and we cannot think beyond that tribe. It therefore seems unreal to us getting the possibility of something beyond that created tribe happening. As such, it is the machine that does our thinking and not us. People should learn to have focused thinking where they they put a problem in perspective and look for the solution as the problem exists contextually and not theoretically. This can only be achieved when much time and attention is directed towards that direction.
Scientists have agreed that over-exposure to blue light leads to health -related effects. It could be possible that this light also affects and damages our brain cells.
People should embrace spending time in nature, taking part in their passions, talents and community development activities to help boost their creativity and thinking, inspire ambitions, meditate on issues and enhance a kind of responsibility.
By Enos Odero
Social critic
Fredrick Kipchumba Chelimo 
Jerameel Kevins Owuor Odhiambo