The Jake Project—Update
I found Jake where most people find him these days: on the fourth floor lab, second computer in. This has become his de facto home for the last 90 (or so) days. He learned early on during his experiment that life would be much easier if people knew exactly where to find him. And while not having a phone, email, or Facebook hasn’t always been the easiest on Jake’s friends and partners, he seems to have taken a real shine to it.
I spoke with Jake for a bit about his experiment, what’s surprised him, and what he’ll take away with him when it’s all over. He said his project initially came from the realization that he, himself, was never fully present in his personal relationships anymore. Looking his friends in the eyes while his fingers replied to tweets on his phone finally got the best of his conscience. Something had to be done.
The technology shut down was to initially only include his cell phone. However, after some more thought, all modern-day forms of communication were added to the pile. At the beginning, Jake said he was most concerned with the overall idea of what he’d be missing by not being “plugged-in.”
Nowadays, he doesn’t miss much. His personal relationships have flourished, and his quest has taken on a spirituality he never expected. He writes notes on giant pieces of paper, pumpkins, and just about anything else he can that makes sense. All in all, Jake’s life now has less stress and more happiness than it has in years.
Maybe we could all learn something from the Jake Project.