“The smartphone is a handheld version of a sensory isolation chamber.”
@UndergroundAeon
This seems utterly accurate to me. It explains the widespread social anxiety, people live with today.
I feel we’ve lost a good deal of our humanity to this. How can you not? Primary relationship is with a device.
What kills me, is that staring at it, hijacks your thinking / your focus. You can’t contemplate anything, because the next tappable element is right there… and then another and another and another.
It’s one thing to shut out the outside world and sit in the calm peace and quiet. This is something different, because you’re distracted, living on the stimulus provided by the phone. It seems the isolation would enhance the brain-frying effects.
I chose this picture, because it illustrates the opposite of sensory isolation… and chamber. I realize, fun, outdoor activities with others, suits me, maybe more than most. Still, which activity is more likely to make a memory?
Mercury Pluto post right here. Which activity might actually power up the intellect?
I’ve always been a loner (and a Gemini since birth) so the internet actually opened up the world for me in a sense. Also de-romanticized it on many levels. Part of that is age/wisdom but the ‘net has been a part of that.
I think the internet of twenty years ago is very different than what we have, currently.
Totally. I miss it very much.
Yes, ironically. There’s even a ‘good ole days’ regarding the internet.
Another thing is we’re one lives. I grew up in San Diego which is a giant suburb. I’ve live in a smaller town in the Pacific Northwest for 18 years now and have mountain biking in forests and a city with close proximity to outdoor music and things in the summer. I feel more connected than when I was young. Part of that is my own learning curve and growth.
… but also one’s environment has an effect.
The internet is a very mercury pluto place for me. No where else have a I been able to find the depth of information that empowers me in every facet of life. Its your choice wether you make the internet an echo chamber or not. It would have been the same before hand. It was you intentionally traveling, seeking out friendships with strangers,reading banned books, participating in debate clubs. Or you could have just stayed in your village taking to your highschool buddies for the rest of your life. Now people who are openminded read and post on various opposing things, have facebook debates and intentionally tweak their algorithm to make sure they dont see the same ol same ol. Up to you-same as it ever was.
It’s not really ‘your choice’, not up to you. Phones, internet, massive amounts of content are highly addictive for most people. The average person looks at their phone 300 times a day. I’ve no doubt this was all known years ago when these devices were being developed. It’s THE addiction of this century. Most of humanity has been placed under a mind control spell. It’s called Wetiko. Mind virus. So, it’s really not anyone’s free choice anymore, unless they are highly conscious, aware and disciplined … which most humans are not.
It gives such dopamine hits, you can have the music or podcast you want immediately. And never wait in the DMV and be bored again. I can go for a walk without djing my experience but am intolerant to the bad music I hear. I had times when I lost my phone. I missed the podcasts the most.
i travel a lot, and i feel like i went through a whole new educational program with podcasts. its incredible what is at our figertips.