The age of Wechat addiction

Yes, I have also become one of the Wechatters who would involuntarily refresh the phone screen every few minutes whenever and wherever possible. 

Last summer when my nephew was here to get a brief taste of an American life, he lamented on my not being updated with the social media scene in China. He tried to talk me into downloading Wechat on my phone. Half way through when I saw I had to agree with this-and-that privacy violation fine print, I got alert and quit the operation. However, I did yield to his other his pursuasion. I got an QQ account on my computer (not my phone then) and loaded his travel pictures from my camera for his parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and the rest of the folks there to keep track of our travel and his experience. Once he went back for the new school  year I quickly left the QQ unattended. 

But the concept of Wechat was seeded and started sprouting when my friend Xiao Yao made the same suggestion early this year. By then I also heard the sisters in church peppering their conversations with the word Wechat (Weixin). Various groups were formed there to faciliate meetings, gatherings, outings, discussions or simply sharing some food ideas or anything that is random but quite interesting in one way or the other. Well, I put aside my concern for privacy and had Wechat on my phone. 

That simple downloading of the Wechat app has since started a chain action. I got in touch somehow with the folks who I have not heard from for ages on the other side of the Pacific; I started the once-despised action of taking pictures of everything everywhere and cannot wait a moment to pass by before uploading it to Wechat; I neglected my already neglected blog; I take extended leave from my Facebook community; I drive and pause at red lights to check the Wechat updates, having the kids to watch the light change for me; I stopped for quite a while my audio Bible listening, .... Wechat has basically invaded all corners of my life and has taken control of my life, at my free will. 

I realized its addiction only recently when I pictured the bad mothering example I'd have on the kids. I lecture them often on their extensive use of digital device unrelated to their study, only to fall into the trap myself. What a hypocritical being I am!

Something must be done, I told myself. Rules are made to Wechat only a couple of times a day with each no more than 10 minutes. Exercice routines are reset, books are re-collected, plans are revised, .... I'm yet to see how far I can commit and how disciplined I will be. 

Oh, the age of Wechat addiction!