English theorist Marshall McLuhan became a star in the academic world when he published his book “Understanding Media” which discusses the profound impact of the media on our society and the individual. One of his most telling contributions was his interest in the media and how it affects the individual psychologically and socially, and how it becomes become an extension of our senses.

With the conquest of the Internet and the advent of communication devices like the iPhone, Blackberry, or IPAD, the sweeping doctrine of hyper connectivity has taken charge of our way of life. These devices have significantly revolutionized how we communicate and how our relationships start up and are maintained. The changes don’t end there. These devices have also transformed our way of dealing with information and our access to it, and changed the way we work, and even helped us to become independent of the places where we work! Social interactions both intimate and labour-related, are only a click away from us, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Scientists say the juggling we do every day trying to answer thousands of e-mails, phone calls and information that reaches us through the various devices that connect to the WWW, change not only our thinking, but also how we feel and react. Our ability to concentrate is being sabotaged by the primitive impulse to react immediately to opportunities and threats, which today might mean tweets, e-mails, and messages on Facebook or Skype.

The explosion of media consumption has increased exponentially: now we consume up to three times more information than our grandparents and parents consumed in 1960. As a human race, suddenly we are confronted with thousands of new impulses for which we are not developmentally ready. We have reached a level of addiction to technology so strong we may even suffer from withdrawal symptoms when we don’t have access to it: boredom, anxiety and sadness are all common.

Therefore, it is more important than ever to find a balance. Rent apartments in Seville and stroll through the streets of this beautiful city. Leave your computer and your gadgets at home!