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05-11-2015, 11:54 PM
1

Fobo

Ever heard of this? I certainly hadn't.
According to my local paper it means "Fear Of Being Offline."
They say it is fast becoming a 21st century social malaise which students and even older people find themselves unable to break.
It is a constant fear of missing out, of not seeing your Twitter/Facebook messages, new Tweets, or not being constantly on the ball with what's happening online.
Some people even leave their gadgets on while they sleep, so if they wake, they can check their phone or tablet.

There is a lecturer at the University of Northampton who says "she has seen the distress in students faces when I have asked them to switch off their phones."
Some of her lectures are up to 2 hours long, so now, and as part of them, she has built in a technological break where students can spend 5 mins catching up on messages, Tweets and Facebook. She admits she cannot fight this FYBO.

What do you think about this so-called FYBO? Does it really exist do you think?
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Northumberland
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06-11-2015, 05:19 AM
2

Re: Fobo

Got to admit to having severe withdrawal symptoms when i was in hospital. I was missing so much info that is a part of my day to day life, so yes for me the internet is an important part of my chosen lifestyle.
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06-11-2015, 05:56 AM
3

Re: Fobo

I spend a lot of time on my computer but never take it with me on holiday and don't really miss it, so I'm not paranoid about it................yet !
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Cass
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NL
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06-11-2015, 06:55 AM
4

Re: Fobo

I think a lot of the time its being forced on people and so they become dependant...

I will admit 'google it' has become a very common phrase in our house for anything from shop opening times, the missing name of an actor, to recipies and DIY tips.
We really enjoy having the world of information at our fingertips but we also enjoy shutting it off and enjoying real world time and activity.

But almost everything these days comes with 'for more infromation go to www.....' and my employer has also assumed everyone has a smartphone and says our schedules will now be on the 'app' for us to see while we are out and about..
Ive told them I dont have a smart phone and Im not paying for one with wifi so if they want me to use this app then they will have to supply the phone.

No wonder people get so hooked when they are coerced into planning their lives via an app.
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06-11-2015, 07:50 AM
5

Re: Fobo

I think Kids have never got used to the awkward silence, they don't even have to work out how to avert an overt stare, all they do is focus on their hand held device, and transport to a virtual world, mind you, it would have been nice to be able to do that, many years ago, without any substances.
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06-11-2015, 08:43 AM
6

Re: Fobo

My idea of a good laugh would be to see one of these Zombies walk under a bus because they were too busy looking at their 'thick phone'.
May
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06-11-2015, 09:23 AM
7

Re: Fobo

I don't have a smart phone,nor am I on facebook or twitter...But I insisted on My 2 Grandkids switching off Their phones last weekend at a Family restaurant lunch,which They were happy to do ..for a couple of hours anyway :~)
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06-11-2015, 09:38 AM
8

Re: Fobo

Originally Posted by Grumblewagon ->
My idea of a good laugh would be to see one of these Zombies walk under a bus because they were too busy looking at their 'thick phone'.
So right - 'zombies' is a good description
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06-11-2015, 02:46 PM
9

Re: Fobo

Originally Posted by Cass ->
I think a lot of the time its being forced on people and so they become dependant...

I will admit 'google it' has become a very common phrase in our house for anything from shop opening times, the missing name of an actor, to recipies and DIY tips.
We really enjoy having the world of information at our fingertips but we also enjoy shutting it off and enjoying real world time and activity.

But almost everything these days comes with 'for more infromation go to www.....' and my employer has also assumed everyone has a smartphone and says our schedules will now be on the 'app' for us to see while we are out and about..
Ive told them I dont have a smart phone and Im not paying for one with wifi so if they want me to use this app then they will have to supply the phone.

No wonder people get so hooked when they are coerced into planning their lives via an app.


Good post Cass. I agree with you.
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06-11-2015, 03:19 PM
10

Re: Fobo

I'm not hooked as yet, but never say never. I think most people my age who like a tipple would sooner have a chin wag in the pub, so as long as the pub is there I'm safe enough for the present.
One thing I miss in the pub these days is the 'Know all' with google about everyone knows everything now and the poor old know all is lost, I used to get a great kick out of listening to them, I could never get the answers right and after a while I would attack asking the question "Where is the nearest river to this pub, river not stream?" When they came back at me beaming with the correct answer I used to say "well would you ever go and throw yerself into it and give us all a rest" childish I know but I enjoyed saying it all true same.
 
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