The daily barrage of texts, tweets and e-mails brings us information, connection, entertainment. But it also takes something away, argues journalist Harris. “The loss of lack, the end of absence”—a deficit of silence and solitude—is the price we pay for our plugged-in lives, he writes. His book invites readers, especially those old enough to remember life before the Web, to hold on to downtime, daydreams and stillness. “For those of us who have lived both with and without the vast, crowded connectivity the Internet provides,” Harris says, “these are the few days when we can still notice the difference between Before and After.”
This article was originally published with the title "Recommended: The End of Absence" in Scientific American 311, 2, 78 (August 2014)
Clara Moskowitzis Scientific American's senior editor covering space and physics. She has a bachelor's degree in astronomy and physics from Wesleyan University and a graduate degree in science journalism from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Follow Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz Credit: Nick Higgins
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