Can true solitude be found in a wired world?

MARTHA IRVINE
October 29, 2012

When was the last time you were alone, and unwired? Really, truly by yourself. Just you and your thoughts — no cellphone, no tablet, no laptop.

Many of us crave that kind of solitude, though in an increasingly wired world, it's a rare commodity.

We check texts and emails, and update our online status, at any hour — when we're lying in bed or sitting at stop lights or on trains. Sometimes, we even do so when we're on the toilet.

We feel obligated, yes. But we're also fascinated with this connectedness, constantly tinkering and checking in — an obsession that's starting to get pushback from a small but growing legion of tech users who are feeling the need to unplug and get away. the rest image