Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Where have all the people gone? They seem lost in a wasteland of virtual “friends,” posts, photos, texts, and 30-second videos. The earbuds make them deaf. The screens make them blind. Their attention has been kidnapped by cat videos, photos, and vitriolic junk. The wonders of the present moment have been shut down and cut off. Modern technology has diminished experience, and we have no idea what the word “social” means anymore. It means being together in community, attention focused on connecting with each other, in real-time experience.
People are interested, but only if you post it, video it, or tweet it. Does the moment need to be memorialized like that – videoed, photographed, “shared,” or “liked?” The sunset is billowing so much beauty, but only the phone gets to “see” it. The breeze is blowing through the trees, but only the video camera can pick up the sound. No-one is noticing the world, soaking in the experiences, or just being with the present moment. The people are gathered, but no one is engaged, present, or really interested. The devices are luring them in for a profit, and no-one seems to be bothered.
Try to reconnect with experience today, and avert your eyes from the screen. Give the virtual world a rest. Lock eyes with another, and pay attention to the world. Ponder the sights. Hear the sounds. Taste the flavors. Savor the moments without the urge to interrupt them with your phone. The virtual world has nothing to offer you. One day the people will come back to the present moment. It contains so much that we are missing.