Why the Multitasking Discussion is Not an Academic Exercise
I have written several pieces about the perils of multitasking, and why one of the most dangerous of all is the use of cell phones in cars.
I began to become concerned about this several years ago when a young woman in England was jailed after she killed someone while trying to drive a car while flirting with her boyfriend on her cell phone.
Now another tragedy has been reported by the BBC.
I am all for liberty and freedom: personal freedom is one of the most central planks of my philosophy.
Though these fatal cases are thankfully rare, is even one life more important than the “convenience” of using a cell phone? Because that is the real issue: none of us can effectively handle the ever-increasing numbers of sensory inputs that are demanding our attention. And why, exactly, does someone need to be talking while in control of a potentially lethal weapon?
And don’t let people tell you that it’s the only way to get everything done! Wouldn’t that mean that they cannot deal with their day, and that you don’t care about the people that they could be affecting? Wouldn’t that comment imply that it’s time to re-evaluate their lives?
Technorati tags: Attention Distraction
Dr. Richard G. Petty, MD is a world-renowned authority on the brain, and his revolutionary work on human energy systems has been acclaimed around the globe.
He is also an accredited specialist in internal and metabolic medicine, endocrinology, psychiatry, acupuncture and homeopathy. He has been an innovator and leader of the human potential movement for over thirty years and is also an active researcher, teacher, writer, professional speaker and broadcaster. He is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking and best selling CD series Healing, Meaning and Purpose. He has taught in over 45 countries and 48 states in the last ten years, but spends as much time as possible on his horse farm in Georgia.
