Celebrities Encourage Turning Your Cell Phones Off 

Could you survive a week without your Internet, cell phone, and television? How about a few days? It's hard to imagine, and for many of us who rely on technology for day to day living the thought of exercising that much restraint is devastating.

Arianna Huffington, author and co-founder of The Huffington Post, admitted in her recent appearance on late night talk show Conan that she has three Blackberry devices and can't go anywhere without all of them. We're living in a digital world where our existence thrives on instant communication and virtual entertainment. Is it possible to revert back to the days of yore when we wanted to visit a farm, we'd actually go to one rather than log in to FarmVille? Or converse on a park bench rather than Skype?

Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake seem to think so - and they're strongly encouraging it. 

The Canadian actor and pop singer-turned-movie star have a new film together, Yogi Bear, in which they will voice the characters of Yogi and BooBoo. Influenced by their love for nature and the outdoors, their film roles telling Yogi's story have caused them to speak out against excessive use of electronics these days. 

Aykroyd says, "I would personally say put up the texting, put up the blackberry, put up the laptop and get rid of it for at least a long weekend for four or five days at least once or twice a month. We are ruining the attention span of this generation."

Growing up braving the harsh winters of cold Quebec, the actor says he knows all about going back to the basics of a more organic life. 

"I have always had an appreciation of nature. I pass it onto my children and you really do have to put up the electronic devices and get back to nature. This generation has got to change the world and get out and realise what they have and try to get more rural and out to the country and bring that ethos back to the cities. Maybe this movie will help a little bit."

As for JT, he says his role in Yogi helped him rediscover his love for nature too, especially after coming out of his famous role in The Social Network.

"I did a movie about the birth of social networking and it drove me sort of crazy even playing a part in that movie; it's way beyond my brain scan. I grew up in Tennessee on the edge of a state park, so I spent a lot of time outdoors."

We're not so sure the age of electronics is exactly 'beyond the brain scan' of a mega star who may have grown up near a state park but also grew up on the set of The Mickey Mouse Club, but, point taken.

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
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