Publish at June 02 2013 Updated February 12 2025
Our world is so digitally driven that those who dare to disconnect for a few hours or days cause panic among their contacts on social networks. In such a context, those who completely disconnect from the Internet for long periods of time create both a commotion and an element of envy.
After all, without being constantly connected, it seems we'd be so much more productive and creative. For example, in 2011, Christine Vaufrey presented the story of the writer who, in order to write his novel, disconnects and writes his texts by hand to ensure that the Web doesn't distract him. In his speech, we almost felt that the Internet was a brake on creativity. So, is the solution to creativity in complete disconnection?
In the winter of 2012, writer and blogger Thierry Crouzet launched his book " J'ai débranché ", recounting the last six months when he disconnected from the Internet. A prolific network addict, he recounted how, during this period, he rediscovered boredom and was finally able to finish the pile of books he'd been buying but not reading since his days on the Web. He rediscovered the ability to read long texts and take time for himself, to enjoy the little things in life, people and his family. A portrait that would make anyone dream. It's no surprise that a number of bloggers wanted to follow Thierry Crouzet's initiative in their own way.
Paul Miller is a prominent American blogger. This young man has been using the Internet since he was 12 years old. He has lived most of his life on the electronic highway. In early 2012, however, a feeling of depression assailed him. He felt he was overloaded, no longer creative, no longer had time for interpersonal relationships, and so on.
He sees the Internet as the main reason for his condition. So he has to leave the network for a while. He announces to everyone that he will cut himself off from the Internet for a year. On April 30, 2012 at 11:59 pm, he unplugs the Ethernet cable, cuts the wi-fi and changes his phone. For Miller, the first few months seem like something out of a fairytale. Not only does he take the time to savor the small pleasures of daily life, but his creativity is multiplied tenfold. In 6 months, he wrote half a novel and several essays. His boss even reproached him for writing too much since he disconnected himself from virtual life!
Like Crouzet, he realizes that he feels he has more time to read. Before, he couldn't stand texts longer than 10 pages. In this period of disconnection, he could read over 100 pages without any problems. His relationships with those closest to him improved, and he felt he could live his emotions more fully.
However, as he describes in his lengthy account of his experience, the dream eventually came to an end. After a few months, the good habits faded and new bad folds surfaced. He became passive, watching lots of DVDs and playing video games. He had virtually no social life. His parents had to send his sister periodically to his apartment to check if he was still alive. He realized that, in spite of everything, the Internet provided him with a means of keeping in touch with others. When an online friend, with whom he had frequent Internet and telephone contact, moved to China, the relationship inevitably broke down, much to his dismay.
At a conference, he spoke with a Web expert who reminded him that there is now a very thin line between reality and the virtual in our lives. Two people talking to each other on computers or telephones, though separated, are flesh-and-blood beings in the real world. On the other hand, 2 lovers frolicking in the fields, though far from gadgets, may well remain virtual, with one (or both) wondering whether he or she will tell their Twitter network or blog about their little country escapade.
In fact, even Thierry Crouzet concedes that the Internet is a formidable platform for social ties and counter-power. In an interview with the blog "Les déconnectés", he admitted that the hardest part of his disconnection was not being able to react to current events. By the way, the author is not an advocate of total disconnection for Internet users. Rather, he advocates that they should be able to disconnect on a daily basis to detoxify a little from social networks and other sources of distraction. In the light of these testimonials, it's wise to assert that small moments of disconnection foster inspiration and creativity, but too long periods give rise to an unhealthy sense of isolation.
For Miller, his year-long experience without a connection was above all a revelation that the problems he felt were not linked to his use of the Internet, but to himself. Now that he's reconnected (since May 1, 2013), he wants to use the Internet to help others. But he's aware that his use won't always be perfect, and that he'll have to make personal adjustments so that his priorities in real life take precedence over those online:
" When I come back to the Internet, I may not use it well. I may waste time, get distracted or click on the wrong hyperlinks. I won't have as much time to read or write a great American science fiction novel. But at least I'll be connected.
Illustration: Bastian Weltjen, shutterstock
References:
Demont, Valérie. "Thierry Crouzet unplugged 6 months, I tested... only a short week." Valérie Demont's blog. Last updated: November 25, 2011. http://afondlapassion.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/thierry-crouzet-a-debranche-6-mois-jai-teste-une-petite-semaine-seulement/.
La Cantine Numérique Rennaise. "Thierry Crouzet: "We're rediscovering boredom."" La Cantine Numérique Rennaise -. Last updated: February 15, 2012. http://www.lacantine-rennes.net/2012/02/thierry-crouzet-on-redecouvre-lennui/.
Meyerfield, Bruno. "Thierry Crouzet: "La déconnexion, au début, ça fait mal"." The Disconnected. Last updated: December 16, 2012. http://lesdeconnectes.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/interview-de-thierry-crouzet-jai-debranche-six-mois-un-geek-zero-ordinateur/.
Miller, Paul. "I'm still here: back online after a year without the internet." The Verge. Last updated May1, 2013. http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4279674/im-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet.
Regent, Martin. "I unplugged from Thierry Crouzet." A World of Procrastination. Last updated: February 5, 2012. http://mregent.com/blog/2012/02/j-ai-debranche-de-thierry-crouzet-critique.
Vaufrey, Christine. "Should you disconnect to write?" Thot Cursus. Last updated: June1, 2011. https://cursus.edu/fr/3475/faut-il-se-deconnecter-pour-ecrire
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