Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2018/07/02

Have you ever thought about the time you spend on your smartphone? Or rather, have you ever thought about the time you spend on your smartphone while in the presence of your spouse or family?

Former Cape Times and Cape Argus editor and Columnist Gasant Abarder says the time to put down the smartphone is now!

In his column in the Sunday Times paper called the “Sunday slice”, Abarder noted that, “a third party has caused strained spousal and family relations. It’s not even a human third party. It’s a smartphone.”

Speaking to Radio Islam, Abarder says it dawned upon him that he needed to change his behaviour.

“When my kids mimic me as all kids do with their parents, always with an imaginary smartphone in their hands, and that was the wakeup call for me really, my device is taking over my life.”

Abarder adds that, “the first step is recognising the device isn’t the problem, it’s you. Secondly, you don’t have to reply to every Tweet or Facebook post you see because, contrary to popular belief, the world will continue if you don’t. Thirdly, whatever it is, it can wait. They’ll call back. What did we do before the advent of cellular phones?”

Abarder is the current UWC Media and Communications Manager.

Listen to the full interview below: