Distance In William Powers Hamlet's Blackberry

In the book Hamlet’s Blackberry, author William Powers argues in chapter five “Walking to Heaven” that “distance” is important now just as it was in fifth century B.C., for a calm mind enables individuals to think creatively and deeply. Powers utilizes examples from Plato’s dialogue Phaedrus, which helps to further Powers main point that while humans crave constant connectivity, individuals must distance their selves from the busyness constant connectivity creates. Powers claims that human beings have been “running from distance since prehistoric times”, but without distance people do not get the space needed to reflect on their ideas and events (88). In other words, Powers believes that individuals should not shut their selves in and become a “hermit”, but instead they should balance the busyness with distance to live a more fulfilled life. …show more content…
Socrates constantly engulfs himself in oral communication, so when Phaedrus invites him to go off on a peaceful walk outside of the city to discuss a speech he just heard, Socrates is excited to hear the speech, but he hates to “leave the crowded city” (85). Socrates a well know philosopher, opposes written language because “It doesn’t allow ideas to flow freely and change in real time” (94); However, once learning that Phaedrus has a written version of the speech, Socrates demands he reenacts the speech (90)! Upon hearing the speech, Socrates “pronounced himself ‘in ecstasy’”, for he loved the speech (91). The friends began an in-depth discussion about the speech, which Socrates describes as “divine” (93). The distance between them and distractions enables a conversation where Socrates believes “the gods are inspiring him” (93). Without distance this conversation would not have occurred, for brilliant ideas require quite time to

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