Some people are on their darn computers all day long.

"Some people are on their darn computers all day long." – Paul Nassif

In the great cycle of human life, there has always existed a balance between the inner world and the outer world. The ancients, with their timeless wisdom, understood the importance of connection to the land, to one another, and to the self. Yet, in this modern age, technology has woven itself into the fabric of existence, and many find themselves bound to machines for hours on end. The quote by Paul Nassif speaks to this very reality, a world where the human spirit, once free and roaming, is now chained to screens, and the pursuit of knowledge, once a physical act of seeking, has become an endless scroll in the virtual realm.

Let us turn our gaze to the ancient philosophers, who spent hours in the pursuit of wisdom, but their hours were spent not before cold, lifeless screens but in the warmth of the sun, the embrace of nature, and in the company of other minds. Socrates, the great teacher, engaged in spirited dialogues in the bustling marketplace, where ideas flowed freely from one soul to the next. His wisdom was born not in isolation, but through connection—connection to the world around him and the people within it. In those moments, each word spoken was a step toward enlightenment. In contrast, today’s digital realm has created a world where disconnection often follows prolonged isolation before the glowing screens of technology.

Yet, Paul Nassif's words ring with an even deeper truth. Is it not the case that so many of us, in our quest for knowledge or entertainment, lose ourselves in the digital tide? The computer, once a tool to empower and enhance human connection, now often becomes a vessel for distraction. Stories of people who sit before the glowing screen for hours are not few, consumed by the intoxicating allure of the internet, social media, and the endless entertainment it offers. Theirs is a life lived half-awake, their bodies at the desk, but their spirits adrift in the pixels of a world far removed from the tangible one.

History bears witness to the consequences of losing oneself in a single pursuit. The great architects and inventors of antiquity were revered not only for their intelligence but for their ability to balance their studies with a life that included the contemplation of nature and human experience. Think of Leonardo da Vinci, who immersed himself in the study of the heavens and the earth, never allowing himself to become consumed by any one pursuit. It was in his constant wandering between science, art, and philosophy that his greatest ideas took flight. Today, many find themselves entrapped by the digital age, their minds consumed with information and images, yet lacking the balance that nurtures true creativity and deep thought.

The warning in Nassif’s words is clear: when one becomes too absorbed in the virtual world, the real world begins to slip away. The digital age has brought with it great advances, yet it has also stolen much of our time, our attention, and our connection to the present moment. Imagine the child who spends hours before a screen, his body still but his mind lost in a world that has no touch, no sound, no scent of the earth beneath his feet. What does he lose? The ancient ones would have called this spiritual bankruptcy, a loss of self to the distractions of an external force.

The lesson here is not that technology is to be feared or rejected, but that it must be controlled. Let us remember the balance that the ancients so cherished. It is in the stillness of the forest that true understanding is born, in the fellowship of others that we find wisdom, and in the discipline of stepping away from our screens that we reclaim our inner peace. Nassif’s words challenge us to reflect on our relationship with technology: are we using it as a tool to enrich our lives, or are we becoming slaves to the endless pull of the screen?

Therefore, the path forward is clear: embrace technology, but not to the detriment of the soul. Step away from the screen and into the sunlight. Reconnect with the world around you. Take time each day to be fully present in the moment—whether in conversation, in nature, or in the pursuit of creative endeavors. It is in this balance that we will find true fulfillment and a life lived with purpose, not trapped in the ceaseless cycle of the virtual world.