That's alarming. How far away has society strayed from humanity's path?
Communications regulator Ofcom found UK adults spent an average of 8 hours and 41 minutes a day on media devices, compared with the average night's sleep of eight hours and 21 minutes.
I probably spend longer than the average person asleep. But totting up, I spend 4 hours on the computer in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, and 1 in the evening = 7.
Almost four hours a day are spent watching TV according to Ofcom's survey of 2,800 UK adults and children. TV and radio are still popular despite the growth of digital media.
My final tally = 14 ½. Bear in mind that at 72 years, I write novels and this daily blog to occupy me.
The annual Ofcom study also analyzed the media habits of youngsters between 12 and 15 years of age, of which 8% used email, while just 3% said they spoke on a landline phone. Children as young as six years have an advanced understanding of technology devices—the same level of knowledge as the average 45-year-old.
The average amount of time people spent watching TV each day, 3 hours and 52 minutes, (I'm well above this) was more than the combined time spent on mobile phones, landlines and the internet.
Almost 80% of TV viewing is done without simultaneously using another device. Here, I differ by reading a novel on my Kindle during long commercial breaks.
The good news is that paper books are still popular. The rise of digital formats has also not convinced the vast majority of Britons to get rid of their book collections.
See the full BBC news article here.
Of course, I HAVE to share an excerpt of one of my futuristic novels, co-written with Edith Parzefall. Here's a section from Chapter 5 of Knights in Dark Leather.
With the support of a stout stick, Raymond ranged ahead. He knew this land like he knew the layout of his village. Cerridwen and Trevly had recently arrived, so they would rely on his skills. His eye picked out tiny birds in the distance, gliding on the wind. That would be the ocean, whereas Hailing nestled in the estuary for protection. The area offered limited defence though. Nature made a joke of people's efforts sometimes. He sighed at the memory of the last storm, which had destroyed his dwelling.
But no. Don't go there. Time to move on. He straightened his shoulders. People depended on him and he wouldn't let them down.
He didn't know what lay ahead though. Some people said most of the land had drowned. But how big was the country? Could a person walk the entire length from dawn to nightfall? No. Had to be larger than that.
His weak leg snagged on a hidden rock. Pain jarred through him. Kicking kings! Why did the Lord send this trial?
He looked back. No sign of them. Good! Nobody had noticed his blunder. Easing the inept leg forward again, he remained alert for more hidden traps in his path.
A piece of jagged red material stuck out of the soil ahead. More of that before times teck-rubbish—all keeping their colour but not the secrets of their use or their original shape. He didn't bother looking. Never found anything he could use.
What would he do when they reached unknown territory? None of them had ventured this far. Of course, Trevly acted like the know-all traveller of Corn World, but not even he had made the trek to the most western tip, the end of the world as they knew it. And Hugo? What good could the youngster do, except get himself into trouble?
I'll bet you're totting up your hours spent on a technical device right now.