Sign the Declaration of Independence from Technology!

NEW YORK, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This 4th of July 2011, Unplugging and Reconnecting™ (U&R) has posted its interactive Declaration of Independence from Technology for all to sign and share. This is a Declaration against the complete saturation of social media and gadgetry infiltrating every single moment of our lives; against the insidious addictive apps and games that pull our family members and friends away regardless of location, situation or setting: eating dinner, watching the game, sitting at the beach, or attending parties.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110629/NY28052)

A revolution is underway – a revolution to reclaim our lives from the tyranny of ever growing technological connectivity. People are overly consumed with the friendly technology that we created to assist and enrich our lives. And while the advances in technology are a great boon to humankind, there is a distinct tendency for us to become addicted to the rush of being plugged in, connected, and able to constantly twitter or update our moment-to-moment status and location. MacLife recently posted an article about how to remain plugged in – even while vacationing in the great outdoors!  The article admits defeat in trying to "pry gadgets out of our hands", and gives tips so that "you and your iDevice.. can have a blast in the great outdoors."

"We hereby declare that there are times to unplug from technology and reconnect with other human beings face-to-face," noted Dr. Joseph Geliebter, clinical psychologist and founder of U&R.  "We urge students to focus on the lesson taking place in front of them instead of texting the student in the next row; parents to interact with their children at the dinner table, instead of finishing up emails; and friends to make an effort to meet in person instead of through their avatars. Vacations should induce a change of attitude and mindset, not just relocation to a sunnier office."

At U&R, we do love technology and the benefits it provides, but we also recognize that we have lost control of the very technology designed to enhance and simplify our lives.  Take back your independence this July 4^th by signing our declaration and sharing it with the people you'd like to reconnect with.

The declaration states:

"When in the Course of Technology it becomes necessary for people to dissolve the wireless bandwidths which have connected them through unrelentingly addictive devices to unceasing 24/7 news and entertainment and to resume among the low tech communities of the earth, communities filled with human connectivity and personal interactions to which the ideals of Family and Community entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of humankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to disconnect from such technology."

Read the full declaration at http://bit.ly/jKfLNH.

U&R also offers a Personal Declaration of Independence for each person to review and print, with a checklist of resolutions to Unplug & Reconnect not only for the holiday, but in their daily lives. Visitors to the site can also check out our U&R July 4th Recipe for simple Lemonade, and get July 4th eCards – to invite their friends and family to join them in an Unplugged holiday!

About Unplugging and Reconnecting™

Unplugging and Reconnecting™, a Mind Over Body® Inc. enterprise, was created in response to our current state of digital overload.  U&R is leading the movement for people to find a balance between their technology-laden, multitasking selves and their creative, emotional and spiritual needs -- to benefit from one while sustaining the other.

Unplugging and Reconnecting launched its first challenges in July 2010 http://prn.to/cnjAFb and August 2010 http://prn.to/iuAFxl

SOURCE Unplugging and Reconnecting