REACTION PAPER (No. 4): ALL THE TIME

Thea Selina G. Morales

2013-59204

STS THX

   

          If I were given the chance to do an update or adaptation of the story, it would show the current issues and aspects in our society and environment.  My main character’s name is Skyler.  She is a seventeen year old college student.  Her family is very traditional and her parents are very strict when it comes to her studies.  This is why they do not allow her to watch television, have a cellphone or any gadget.  Skyler understands this, she feels blessed to be given an education that not all people are given. 

On her eighteenth birthday, they surprised her with an ipad.  Overwhelmed with joy and due to her lack of exposure to technology, this became her new obsession.  Day until night she would use it relentlessly. Her parents would get mad at her whenever they see her using it too often, that’s why she resorted to staying in the library after school so she can continue using it. One afternoon, while she was at the library, she observed the strong and endless downpour of rain.  It was almost midnight and being satisfied with her alone time with the ipad, she decided to go home.  Stunned, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the whole barangay submerged in water.  At first she felt lucky that her school was on high grounds but suddenly realized what the aftermath of this tragedy meant – her home, her family, were gone. 

While looking outside she hadn’t realized that her ipad was being soaked in the rain, and eventually it was broken as well.  She was too attached to her ipad she overlooked the significant things in life.  Skyler realized the difference between aloneness and loneliness. Now she was left with nothing but the guilt.

Today, technology plays a huge role in our society.  But sometimes it blinds us from what really is important in our lives.  As we look around, isn’t it normal to see people busy on their phones – surfing the web or using different apps?  What about human activities– exercising or conversing?  Technology definitely has its advantages but it also has its disadvantages.  It is crucial that we find the balance. 

We should also learn to value the earth we are living in today.  Soon, it might be too much for Mother Nature that all the harm we have done might backfire through natural calamities.  The time to change our wrong ways is now.  Let us do our obligation of caring for the environment, not only for ourselves but for the future generations.