Intriguing and unique writing style. I will be reading your other posts. The graphics are so well done. And no, I have no idea how many apps I have on my phone.
You make a startling and original observation that explains a lot about my internal battle with doomscrolling. Social media are weapons of mass distraction.
Don- You're right: the fact that there now are words like doom-scrolling is probably an indication that these tools are just tools that, if used non-autonomously, will--to your point--become a source of distraction. I suppose that's where the humans need to intercede and review the position on the ways in which they work.
The device has been designed specifically to “delight” so that we never want to set it down. It’s hugely damaging to teens, we produced a documentary on the effects, and we see what it has done to adults as well.
On a subconscious level the blue light puts us in a beta state of concentration, then the dopamine cycle is triggered with each refresh and new meme. The subconscious stores those events, and creates shortcuts so that our conscious minds can easily recall. It’s the mechanism that kept us alive when we were hunter-gathers, it is out instincts and instant recall,
That fact is used to design applications and devices that keep us in a state we call Severed Conscience. We react instead of responding rationally.
Megan- You’re definitely not alone in this. One thing that’s helped me is to move unused apps either completely or away from Home Screen. The Home Screen is sacred to me—and I only have a few must haves. Everything else can be searchable on the Search Bar whenever I needed it. It’s helped a ton. 🤓
Las Vegas is an artificial place, like Disney for adults with particular tastes. I have never been there, and I have never had a desire to go. The analogy to our smart phones is a good one, but I sense that Vegas is far worse, for reasons that you aptly describe.
There is an irony of Vegas that you nicely captured. For all of its artificial happiness, and it tries hard in this area--too hard, I would add--it is a terribly sad place filled with resounding despair.
Perry- This is an accurate observation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen things so far at each other’s ends of the spectrum as I did then: the hope of the lost for the last remaining hope not to be lost.
I find LV a very disturbing place. And once you leave the strip and go around the actual city where people live and more normal businesses operate..well, one of the first things I saw the last time I was there was a homeless person missed some appendages, hanging out on a sad piece of concrete with hot concrete, roads and strip mall the only thing in sight. Really, this is as hellish as anything I’ve seen in the developed world, in its own way.
The smartphones, the apps, weren't they supposed to be useful? I like your casino metaphor, because that's what they are, when a few feed off the gambling of many.
I've been to Las Vegas twice for business. I couldn't bring myself to gamble. But smartphones are way smarter than casinos, it's so hard to resist their glitter.
Aren't we turning every technology into gluttony? We learned how to extract sugar, and now it's in every product. We unlocked the secrets of storytelling, and now the Netflix conveyor belt pours an endless stream of plots at us. We wanted more information, and now we feed on it from the moment we open our eyes until we fall asleep...
Gleb- You’ve raised some interesting questions here. And yes, the question is: what is the reason for the unquenched thirst for more. There’s definitely more that could be said about this. Is it greed? Is it a function of economy? Is it the nature of the medium? When the physical form of books require its weight to be borne and carried, limited pages become a necessity. The same rules doesn’t and haven’t applied to digital form. Definitely more that can be explored. Glad to have you here, Gleb-
Las Vegas is a microcosmic place, an improbable setting, a flatland of lights and mini high rises in a desert surrounded by the southern range of the Sierra mountains.
There is just this nuts juxtaposition of scrolling, slot machines, incessant pace and phones that we allow to distract our vision. I am also thinking of the LED lights in my kitchen that disturb my concentration while making dinner.
Does modern ingenuity compare in any way to what the Roman mastermind architects of aqueducts pulled off at Pompei?
Cleaning up the Home Screen is a brilliant idea and so is pausing to remember the remnants of wall paintings in Pompei which remains one of the beautiful wonders of my world. Thank you Thalia.
Taylor— Each time you share your thoughts I’m reminded that reading is very much an active vision. And this applies to your Pompeii reference and the Roman aqueducts. Always glad to have you here. 🙏
Hi Thalia. Since my life goes in seasons and this is the season of planting I am here less frequently but no less fulfilled by your writing each time. As in nature connecting dots is intriguing and so it is in your work. I send my best and thank you.
Taylor- Planting season is one of the most wonderful ones. I hope it is fruitful so far—pun intended. Feel free to share pictures of your garden with me. I’d love to see your progress! :)
Thalia, hurray, I'm a paid subscriber and on your chat as well. Alla
Allan- Welcome aboard! The Dr. is in the house. And now the kids *might* just be sharing that brownie with me. ;)
Welcome to both of you.
Intriguing and unique writing style. I will be reading your other posts. The graphics are so well done. And no, I have no idea how many apps I have on my phone.
Maria- Thanks for being here. And you’re right, I don’t think anyone really knows how many apps are on their phone on any given time.
Nature gave us the place, Engineering gave us the dam. And we wasted it on sorting out who has more money. The answer is the casinos, of course.
Very accurately put, Stirling.
You make a startling and original observation that explains a lot about my internal battle with doomscrolling. Social media are weapons of mass distraction.
Don- You're right: the fact that there now are words like doom-scrolling is probably an indication that these tools are just tools that, if used non-autonomously, will--to your point--become a source of distraction. I suppose that's where the humans need to intercede and review the position on the ways in which they work.
The device has been designed specifically to “delight” so that we never want to set it down. It’s hugely damaging to teens, we produced a documentary on the effects, and we see what it has done to adults as well.
On a subconscious level the blue light puts us in a beta state of concentration, then the dopamine cycle is triggered with each refresh and new meme. The subconscious stores those events, and creates shortcuts so that our conscious minds can easily recall. It’s the mechanism that kept us alive when we were hunter-gathers, it is out instincts and instant recall,
That fact is used to design applications and devices that keep us in a state we call Severed Conscience. We react instead of responding rationally.
I love this comparison! It makes total sense to me! And I definitely have no idea how many useless apps are on my phone in this moment! 😭
Megan- You’re definitely not alone in this. One thing that’s helped me is to move unused apps either completely or away from Home Screen. The Home Screen is sacred to me—and I only have a few must haves. Everything else can be searchable on the Search Bar whenever I needed it. It’s helped a ton. 🤓
Las Vegas is an artificial place, like Disney for adults with particular tastes. I have never been there, and I have never had a desire to go. The analogy to our smart phones is a good one, but I sense that Vegas is far worse, for reasons that you aptly describe.
There is an irony of Vegas that you nicely captured. For all of its artificial happiness, and it tries hard in this area--too hard, I would add--it is a terribly sad place filled with resounding despair.
Perry- This is an accurate observation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen things so far at each other’s ends of the spectrum as I did then: the hope of the lost for the last remaining hope not to be lost.
I find LV a very disturbing place. And once you leave the strip and go around the actual city where people live and more normal businesses operate..well, one of the first things I saw the last time I was there was a homeless person missed some appendages, hanging out on a sad piece of concrete with hot concrete, roads and strip mall the only thing in sight. Really, this is as hellish as anything I’ve seen in the developed world, in its own way.
Yeah, it was definitely a shock to the system Nick. To the point where nothing really is that surprising there. Definitely nothing like it.
While I’m not as prolific as you and your editor, I’d be curious to hear your impressions of my latest entry.
The smartphones, the apps, weren't they supposed to be useful? I like your casino metaphor, because that's what they are, when a few feed off the gambling of many.
I've been to Las Vegas twice for business. I couldn't bring myself to gamble. But smartphones are way smarter than casinos, it's so hard to resist their glitter.
Aren't we turning every technology into gluttony? We learned how to extract sugar, and now it's in every product. We unlocked the secrets of storytelling, and now the Netflix conveyor belt pours an endless stream of plots at us. We wanted more information, and now we feed on it from the moment we open our eyes until we fall asleep...
Gleb- You’ve raised some interesting questions here. And yes, the question is: what is the reason for the unquenched thirst for more. There’s definitely more that could be said about this. Is it greed? Is it a function of economy? Is it the nature of the medium? When the physical form of books require its weight to be borne and carried, limited pages become a necessity. The same rules doesn’t and haven’t applied to digital form. Definitely more that can be explored. Glad to have you here, Gleb-
Las Vegas is a microcosmic place, an improbable setting, a flatland of lights and mini high rises in a desert surrounded by the southern range of the Sierra mountains.
There is just this nuts juxtaposition of scrolling, slot machines, incessant pace and phones that we allow to distract our vision. I am also thinking of the LED lights in my kitchen that disturb my concentration while making dinner.
Does modern ingenuity compare in any way to what the Roman mastermind architects of aqueducts pulled off at Pompei?
Cleaning up the Home Screen is a brilliant idea and so is pausing to remember the remnants of wall paintings in Pompei which remains one of the beautiful wonders of my world. Thank you Thalia.
Taylor— Each time you share your thoughts I’m reminded that reading is very much an active vision. And this applies to your Pompeii reference and the Roman aqueducts. Always glad to have you here. 🙏
Hi Thalia. Since my life goes in seasons and this is the season of planting I am here less frequently but no less fulfilled by your writing each time. As in nature connecting dots is intriguing and so it is in your work. I send my best and thank you.
Taylor- Planting season is one of the most wonderful ones. I hope it is fruitful so far—pun intended. Feel free to share pictures of your garden with me. I’d love to see your progress! :)