逃离现代生活 不插电的夏令营

People in the US have a special camp to go to this summer.

美国今夏有了一个特别的夏令营。

Those who are tired of the social media treadmill and want to unplug for a couple of days can consider going to a fast-growing summer camp three hours outside of San Francisco, reported Reuters.

据路透社的报道，这个夏令营正适合那些厌倦了不断刷新社交媒体，想过几天不插电生活的人们。这个火热升温的夏令营在距旧金山三小时车程的郊外举办。

Checking into the camp involves handing over your personal electronics to volunteers in white lab coats.

加入夏令营之后，你需要上交所有的个人电子产品，由身穿白色实验服的志愿者保管。

Camp Grounded, now in its second year, offers hyper-connected attendees a break from the incessant noise of social media relentlessly battling for their attention.

这个名为Camp Grounded的夏令营，开营已有两年。那些随时活在网络上的人们可以通过参加这个夏令营与吵杂的社交媒体短暂告别，不再为怎么出风头而苦恼。

The rules of this “digital detox” camp are clear: No shop talk, no alcohol, and most importantly, no phones, computers, tablets or watches.

对于这种“数码排毒”夏令营，规则十分明了：不谈工作，不喝酒，最重要的是，没有手机、电脑、平板、甚至连手表也没有。

Co-founder Levi Felix has stressed it is not just an experience for tech workers, although current and former Silicon Valley employees make up a big part of the clientele. This year, campers ranged from college grads to recent retirees, Felix said in an interview with Reuters.

李维•菲利克斯是该营的创办人之一，他在接受路透社的采访中说，虽然大部分营员都正在或曾经在硅谷工作，但是该夏令营不只为技术工作者打造。今年的营员中，既有刚毕业的大学生，也有刚退休的老人。

In recent years, the “unplugging movement” has been gathering steam, although it has been criticized by the press for stirring “postmodern techno-anxiety” and failing to recognize the positive impacts of technology. Each March, thousands of people unplug from their devices for 24 hours, as part of an event organized by the nonprofit organization Reboot.

近些年，“不插电运动”正如火如荼，尽管被一些媒体评价为“煽动后现代科技焦虑”，并指出忽视了科技的积极影响。每年三月，还是会有成千上万人参加非营利性机构Reboot组织的活动，包括关掉所有的电子设备24个小时。

Tech-free getaway options like Camp Grounded are growing in the US, reported NPR. Hotels like the Lake Placid Lodge in New York and Hotel Monaco Chicago are offering digital detox or “black-out” services. The “Check-In to Check-Out” package at the Lake Placid Lodge invites guests to leave their electronic devices at the front desk to enjoy the peace and serenity of their environment.

据NPR的报道，像Camp Grounded这种逃离科技、回归原始的生活方式在美国正为越来越多的人接受。一些酒店，如纽约的普莱西德湖酒店、摩纳哥芝加哥酒店，都推出了“数码排毒”与“熄灯”服务。普莱西德湖酒店更是推出“入住即获解放”服务，其顾客可以将自己的电子产品全部寄放在前台，尽情享受自然的宁静与内心的平和。

Time to take control

做电子产品的主人

David Stewart, founder of SocialStudio, a company making social media applications, said he was not surprised that the digital detox camp was teeming with techies. “People designing addictive products are the most aware of the occasional human need to be free from them,” he said, admitting it can be a challenge for developers to strike a balance between engaging users and spamming them with notifications.

社交媒体应用程序开发公司SocialStudio创始人大卫.斯图尔特表示，对于“数码排毒营”充斥着数码技术人员，他并不觉得惊讶。他说：“越是设计让人沉迷产品的人，就越明白人们要偶尔远离这些产品。”他也承认，对于开发者，在吸引用户和让他们得到过多信息之间寻找平衡点，确实是一个挑战。

With no iPhones or computers to distract them, campers at Camp Grounded participate in “playshops” featuring yoga, laughing contests and writing sessions, the NPR reported.

另据NPR报道，没有了iPhone和电脑的干扰，Camp Grounded的营员会参加各种有趣的活动，包括瑜伽、大笑比赛、以及写作课程。

But for many of the participants, the most exciting activity is conversation. Campers adopt nicknames and are barred from talking about work or disclosing their age. NPR quoted one participant as saying that not being able to discuss work or even reveal their actual names allows everyone to quickly understand each other on a more personal level.

不过，对于大多数营员而言，最有趣的活动还是和其他人聊天。每个营员都有自己的绰号，并且在聊天中不可谈及工作或年龄。NPR在报道中引用了一位营员的话，“不用讨论工作，甚至不用透露真实姓名，让每个人都能在私人的层面上更快了解彼此。”

Felix says that life off the grid is not the end goal of the retreat. “It’s not about not using [technology]. It’s about being in control of using it,” he told the NPR. “It’s all about what you do when the devices are gone.”

在接受NPR的采访中，菲利克斯则说，参加这种夏令营的最终目的并不是为了脱离现代社会。“重点并不是让人们不用（科技产品），而拥有控制能力，即使没有这些电子产品，你会做些什么。”