Disconnectivity = Anxiety Free

On a daily basis, I feel overly connected to the internet and often feel FOMO if I don't read up on the latest news. If I don't pay attention to the stock market, I feel like my investments lack care. If I don't check my email, it seems like I'm missing something important. If I don't check my notifications, anxiety hits me. Why am I so super connected? This can't be healthy.

One of my favorite parts about traveling around the world was the off chance that we would be disconnected from the internet for more than a few days. This happened a couple of times along the way.

It really allowed us to not worry about the happenings of the online lives of our family and friends. Being distanced from the internet of things we were able to focus on the locales we visited. We reflected. We contemplated. We observed our surroundings. We talked amongst ourselves and with the friendly faces who crossed our paths. We shared meals with other foreigners. We learned customs and offered up local beers as a toast. It was fun and anxiety free.

A post shared by Carolyn Go (@carolynluu) on Apr 4, 2017 at 6:25pm PDT

The most disconnected of all the remote locations we visited was village of Pan Pet. You have to drive off-road just to get here. It's where the Kayan long neck women are from. You may have seen them in Thailand, but they originate in Myanmar. The women ventured to Thailand for work purposes, leaving their families behind, and essentially displaying their long necks as a site to see just to make money. Pretty sad, but they do it to survive; these women brave the unknown to send money back to their families in the poor villages. And I mean poor. As an example, one of the shanty homes we visited received artificial light by electricity for the first time ever. Talk about disconnected.

The village of Mrauk-U in the Rakhine State of Myanmar (Burma) was just as disconnected. Just to get here, we had to fly a couple hours Northwest of Yangon (the capital) to the town of Sittwe on the West Coast of Myanmar, then take a 4 hours slow steamboat upriver to arrive at the tiny village along the riverbanks.

Known as a major archeological site, the Buddhist temples and pagodas and town itself have been nominated for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dirt roads are common here. Bicycles are the major mode of transportation for most people.

And another 2 hour speed-canoe ride (canoe with a weed wacker for a motor) further North on the river takes you to the Chin State where one of the last tribes of tattoo-faced women reside. These women were so friendly, normal, and lived their lives free of worry. Everyone lived off of the land and trade along the river. Life is simple here.

A post shared by Carolyn Go (@carolynluu) on Mar 30, 2017 at 8:03pm PDT

Sometimes I wonder how simple life should be or could be. I know it's not possible given our circumstances. So I just hope and look forward to the times we can be disconnected from the reality of our daily lives. I think that's why we travel. To get away. To allow our minds and bodies to roam free from limitations, problems, negative thoughts, and struggle. But sadly, travel is only possible after we've been challenged physically and mentally for long periods of time. And travel is only a break from the nearly constant stresses that we subject ourselves to to fit in to society's molds. I digress. Maybe it's time to disconnect again soon.

How often do you disconnect?

Cutting The Cord

For months I've been toying with the idea of disconnecting the cable television and parting ways with our landline. And I think I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger to "cutting the cord."

I'm sure many, if not all, of us have done the analysis. It's simple to see that getting rid of cable and landline phone will save more than half of our monthly expense for the typical trifecta (cable, internet, tv). All we really need these days is internet. 

Once you have a connection to the World Wide Web, you can make phone calls using a VOIP and watch videos, movies, news, sports, and shows using any of the streaming platforms (ie. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.) available nowadays. 

For us, we don't really watch too much cable programming, so we won't really miss cable that much. It won't be necessary to subscribe to one of the television programming platforms to catch up either. We do watch movies and various series, so lucky for us, we already have Netflix and Amazon Prime. I think the only thing I'll really miss is sports programming. But I don't even really have time to watch live anymore anyway. So maybe I'll just get my fix through highlights on ESPN.com. 

The one kind of saving grace is this HDTV Antenna that I purchased on Amazon. It will allow us to get the basic local television channels (ie. CBS, NBC, ABC). And that's really good enough for me. As long as I can watch a few of my favorite shows (ie. The Big Bang Theory, Jeopardy, and The Voice every once in a while then I can be satisfied. 

OPINION: Virtual Legal Bribery On The Horizon

So it's finally happened. Last week the FCC repealed the Obama administration implementation of net neutrality rules.

"Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or method of communication. For instance, under these principles, internet service providers are unable to intentionally block, slow down or charge money for specific websites and online content." - Wikipedia

Under the new rules, ISPs:

• May block access content, apps, or services.
• Could impair or degrade (slow down) sites, services or apps
• May favor certain Internet traffic over other

ISPs will also be permitted to throttle up or down services, content, and apps for financial consideration.

Let virtual legal bribery commence! Unreal!

Soon we'll be hearing from various service providers about premiums we're going to have to pay to view particular websites or get higher speed internet or prevent these companies from throttling. We'll be seeing tiered service plans. It will be like the caste system of the internet.

I have no belief in the idea that this repeal will spur competition or expand / upgrade networks and access. I also can't see how major telecom / communication / broadband providers would not make sweeping change in favor of making more money. Capitalism and price gouging are the centerpiece of this major move.

An equally large issue is the idea that this repeal will impede free speech, or at least potentially impact it. If service providers have control using pricing mechanisms on particular websites and ability to access, then isn't this a violation of the 1st Amendment? What would stop a company from blocking an opinion website that is in stark contrast to their viewpoints? What would prevent an internet service provider with a historically political bias from charging more to view sites where politically charged movements begin on the internet?

Similar to tax reform, only the wealthy will benefit. The rich keep getting richer, while the middle and lower classes suffer the most.

The Internet Era's Biggest Baddest FEAR

In the era of technological advancements there is a new phobia that strikes even the bravest of souls. For some people, it forces changes in sleeping patterns from waking up earlier than the rooster to going to sleep just before sunrise. It's a fear so powerful that it has the ability to cause anxiety. This phobia is also one of the few that is triggered by positive events. Everyone loves to say that they were there when it happened...if it's a good thing. No one wants to be around if it's devastation and chaos. That's right everyone, I'm talking about the "fear of missing out" otherwise known colloquially as FOMO. 

I believe that FOMO developed from the strains society has placed on keeping up with current events. With media feeds like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook everyone can keep tabs on everyone else, in addition to all the promotional posts from various media outlets relaying the news and advertisements. The constant scrolling up and down through all the microblogging platforms has given rise to the idea of staying current, and the importance of being current has been emphasized by social media. It's a vicious cycle. It's the feeling of being left out that drives the repetitive nature. 

The real question is, are you really "missing out?" My initial response is no. If it doesn't affect you directly, then you're not missing out. And maybe that's my old school mentality kicking in. I'm in the in-between generation that grew up in a time when internet wasn't even around. I aged at the same pace as the world wide web was developed and skyrocketed into daily use. There was a time when we read newspapers in paper format rather than digital. It used to be that you had to wait for the news to come to you. There was no such thing as real-time updates for anything. 

FOMO is not just a social media concept either. It's application in real life is clear. People fear missing out on parties, social events, and other experiences. 

How do you combat FOMO? 

• Don't scroll. In this case, the more you know, the worse your FOMO becomes. Get updates about events you were interested in the traditional way. Talk to someone who was there, but take their words with a grain of salt as we know some opinions can be exaggerated. 
• Check on WHO matters the most to you. Because it's your loved one and closest friends that will have the most impact on you. It doesn't matter WHAT is happening, but it matters who is having fun and who is safe.
• Let the news outlets do their jobs. Watch the news on TV. Read the newspaper. Occasionally check the news websites. But don't scroll through social media to get your news. 

I know that FOMO comes from deeper psychological issues that are very important to mental health. And I don't mean to oversimplify the issue at all. I'm just pointing out the surface level / observable habits and possibly ways to help reduce the anxiety. Here's an article that might help. But if you believe that you or someone you know has extreme anxiety from FOMO, it's probably best to speak with a professional to help relieve the stress this condition creates. (546)

Kathmandu: A 3rd World City, Except For Cell Phones, Internet, and Wi-Fi

As we left Tribhuvan International Airport, the first thing I sensed was that the airport was going to be the most modern thing to visit / experience in Kathmandu. And for the most part, I was right.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxis are mix of new and old, manual transmission, compact cars. Unfortunately for us, the first taxi we found was likely twice my age, half my height, lacked air conditioning, and could barely hold my weight, let alone 4 of us with our 30 pound packs. I think we're lucky we didn't get a flat tire. It was as if they were made of some kind of super fortified rubber. And the road didn't help at all.

The roads leading to our hostel in the Thamel district of Kathmandu were narrow, uneven, bumpy, incomplete, dusty, and not completely paved. And it wasn't just the road itself you had to endure and navigate. It was a challenge of patience to deal with the traffic jam of pedestrians, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and other impatient drivers. Sounds like Manhattan during rush hour...but not quite. The difference being, Kathmandu lacks simple traffic rules. Anything goes in Kathmandu. Want to make a U-Turn in the middle of a busy street? Go for it. Want to cross the street in traffic? Forget Frogger, just walk in a straight line; traffic will stop for you.

There was only one quasi-good thing we learned about the roads. One of our drivers mentioned to us that the government was in the process of widening the streets. But in order to do so, the land on which residences and businesses already stood had to be "reclaimed" by the government - a display eminent domain. Basically, people were losing their homes and jobs in the process.

Architecture

It's an old city. Many residences are attached. There are usually no more than 5 floors (there are no elevators). It seemed as if the building materials were limited, so structures were a mix of concrete, brick, mud, or wood. I found that door frames were significantly shorter, and steps were noticeably more shallow.

Electricity was conserved, and in some cases limited. There were frequent blackouts, especially at the bars and restaurants, which is why candles often decorated the tables. It was dual purposes - set the ambiance and aid in visibility when the power went out. And the nights were pitch black, save a passing car's headlights or a walk through the bar/restaurant areas. We were sure to carry a flashlight in the evenings.

Daily Life

It is likely for this reason (limited / unreliable electricity) that the days started at dawn for most people - to make use of every ounce of daylight. 

Just like these boys...wake up early, take a bath in the street, and get a haircut under a tree. 

Or go for a morning rickshaw ride, while the sun's rays are not beaming too strongly yet. 

And go to the butcher shops for some "fresh," street-side, non-refrigerated pork (or other meats and poultry) and various vegetables. 

And they make sure to do the laundry (by hand) early enough in the morning in order to get a full day's sun to dry all their clothes. 

Or... the not-so-inclined-to-do-anything usually just hang out...

Pollution

The toughest thing to accept and see is a polluted city, because you know that so many problems stem from a lack of environmental hygiene. Garbage is everywhere, in the streets, in the river, in front of peoples' homes and businesses. Some folks still burn their garbage in front of their property. It also seems like cars aren't equipped to regulate the toxins that they emit into the air. And the result is poor air quality, not just because of the dust, but because of the garbage and auto emissions. There's potential for respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, water contamination, etc. And there are serious risks for the environment, human health, and even animal health (whom many depend on for sustenance). 

At the end of the day, the city is years behind any modernized, Western city. But the people are still friendly, helpful, hard-working, and happy. No matter what their obstacles seem to be, I didn't encounter any one person who was unwilling to help (even though food service was pretty slow everywhere we went, consistently - but that's besides the point). Nepalese people go about their routines just like anyone else, except they have less to worry about in comparison to people of a first-world country. Don't forget... religion is twice as important to them. 

I'm sure they all laugh about our problems as they read about us on their cell phones that are connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi.