You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-Al is? Wrong direction.I want Al to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for Al to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.
To try and partially escape the "if you are not paying for the product, you are the product" model of the internet, I recently started using a paid search engine - Kagi - and totally love it. It's totally ad free. Just simply search results - relevant results that lead to fast answers.
On point on so many levels. I’ve noticed too more people are wanting to spend less time online, on their phones, in front of screens. We’re starting to reach a point of burn out & novelty with the digital world & are realising that analogue / in person living makes us feel so much better & more satisfied. Well said!
Yes! This is what I’ve been working through personally for at least a year now. I’ve deactivated my Facebook and have removed Instagram for my phone (log into the browser for work related things).
For 2024 I’ve actively worked on shifting things from the “online” world into the “offline” one (aka real life). I’ve done this in my day-to-day life by going out and trying to make friends in my area. To hosting meet ups with friends and going to in person events. This is surprisingly difficult and higher cost than I anticipated. In my business, I’ve been focusing on in-person offerings in addition to the online. Because I realized the thing I crave and havent found at the same depth online is community and connection. So I’m cultivating it in my life and trying to bring it to as many people as possible. Which is why I ultimately want to open my own breathwork and yoga studio with what I’m calling an “alive bar” (fermented drinks like kombucha, probiotic soda, water kefir and other non-alcoholic beverages) with a board game cafe. A place for people to hang out and connect.
I’m going to be doing a deep dive into my relationship with social media and encouraging my subscribers to do the same on my substack over the course of the month of June. Https://thebreathingspace.substack.com - we’ll have journal prompts and different practices and resources like a listening circle and playlists! It’ll hopefully be both fun and insightful!
I apologize for the self promotion, but this is just such a relevant topic to me and I’m glad more people are noticing this.
Do you think there’s a generational component? I know the younger generations are criticized for screen time but I’ve found some of my most addicted family members are actually boomers! They’re always on Facebook and Instagram or stupid phone games and YouTube videos.
We absolutely need more places where we can connect without having to scan a QR code or look at screens, love the idea!
I noticed the same thing in my family, older generations are more addicted to their phones than any others while also being less media literate and it's a dangerous combo. I feel like we are working towards something better for the future generations and getting off the internet may be the key
Another struggle besides having to have a phone for QR codes or screens (even many restaurants no longer have menus, just QR codes with a link to their website) is that we are often expected to always be connected. I no longer have a landline but I’m considering getting one so I can turn my phone off and still be reachable in a true emergency. Because I’m somewhat addicted to my phone, I like to turn it off and keep it in another room. If my partner is out travelling for instance, I keep it on so I’m contactable just in case.
What I meant to say was also that many of the things we used to be able to do offline have now been replaced with an online option (like the menu, or dating/meetup apps, even apps like bumble friends for trying to make new friends) which means there are less of these spaces available.
It’s a vicious circle.
We go online because there are less real life options available, and because we stopped going out in person these places closed so we’re forced to go online more and more whether we like it or not.
And... I was thinking of writing a piece on how everything is mediated by screens and we've lost simple human interactions (like calling dad for directions). And then I see your piece on my feed...the algorithm reads minds
This is such a big part of it! We now have app for everything and it feels like asking a favour to a friend is a massive inconvenience but it's in those small - yet crucial - gesture and interactions that society is constructed and trust build
Just an FYI, Freya has some great content and I stand behind the overall point behind her writing and the folks at After Babel, but after reading through some of the links you attached and other essays by them, I was disappointed to find anti-sex worker and TERFy comments from both. After poking around many essays on stubstack about what technology has done to modern life, the voices range from extremely progressive to extremely... not! Some might call it horseshoe theory. Either way, substack also pushes reactionary content, so something for readers to keep in mind. It's easy to brush past a TRRFy comment when you're nodding your head along with the rest of the essay! I did a few double takes. And still-- increased media literacy and exposure to ideas outside my own can only be a good thing.
Aaargh it's so beyond disappointing (euphemism) to hear, I don't understand the so-called feminists who don't support all women. Thank you for pointing it out
You know I would imagine this piece would resonate with many, many people. I recently gave up twitter, instagram, facebook, etc within the last few years. It is hard, but one could potentially envision a world where we approach our current attitudes with social media with a bit of shame. I have an Iphone for the camera and filming, but it is not connected to a phone number. So, no phone.
I especially connected with your trashing of AI. It is horrible, inhuman, garbage. Anyways, I immigrated to Brasil almost four years ago and live with my wife, relatively isolated compared to my former life in Los Angeles. I hope, as you do, for a future less online. Or one that feels less embarrassing or venomous, soul wrenching.
This was a good piece. I will read more of your work.
Thank you so much for your comment! I hope we do realise there's more to life than the very screen I'm holding in my hands right now. We moved way past the internet utopia and straight into a nightmarish fever
Yep. I’ve been seeing more and more people with this exact sentiment. Older Gen Z especially tends to be a loud majority, probably because we grew up on the internet, I’d assume.
I like the direction of ditching the “chronically online” world, it’s a good thing to see. Social media has become so toxic that people need a breather!
Definitely an argument in favour, it feels suffocating on social media ! I'm hoping the next generations will have the ability to grow up offline and not in front of a screen
Loved it, hope your theory is right🤞.
Reminded me of the following tweet.
Joanna Maciejewska (My...
@AuthorJMac
You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-Al is? Wrong direction.I want Al to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for Al to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.
Yesss definitely the same mood!
To try and partially escape the "if you are not paying for the product, you are the product" model of the internet, I recently started using a paid search engine - Kagi - and totally love it. It's totally ad free. Just simply search results - relevant results that lead to fast answers.
On point on so many levels. I’ve noticed too more people are wanting to spend less time online, on their phones, in front of screens. We’re starting to reach a point of burn out & novelty with the digital world & are realising that analogue / in person living makes us feel so much better & more satisfied. Well said!
Thank you so much! I feel like this is a worthy burn out, or at least I hope it is
Yes! This is what I’ve been working through personally for at least a year now. I’ve deactivated my Facebook and have removed Instagram for my phone (log into the browser for work related things).
For 2024 I’ve actively worked on shifting things from the “online” world into the “offline” one (aka real life). I’ve done this in my day-to-day life by going out and trying to make friends in my area. To hosting meet ups with friends and going to in person events. This is surprisingly difficult and higher cost than I anticipated. In my business, I’ve been focusing on in-person offerings in addition to the online. Because I realized the thing I crave and havent found at the same depth online is community and connection. So I’m cultivating it in my life and trying to bring it to as many people as possible. Which is why I ultimately want to open my own breathwork and yoga studio with what I’m calling an “alive bar” (fermented drinks like kombucha, probiotic soda, water kefir and other non-alcoholic beverages) with a board game cafe. A place for people to hang out and connect.
I’m going to be doing a deep dive into my relationship with social media and encouraging my subscribers to do the same on my substack over the course of the month of June. Https://thebreathingspace.substack.com - we’ll have journal prompts and different practices and resources like a listening circle and playlists! It’ll hopefully be both fun and insightful!
I apologize for the self promotion, but this is just such a relevant topic to me and I’m glad more people are noticing this.
Do you think there’s a generational component? I know the younger generations are criticized for screen time but I’ve found some of my most addicted family members are actually boomers! They’re always on Facebook and Instagram or stupid phone games and YouTube videos.
We absolutely need more places where we can connect without having to scan a QR code or look at screens, love the idea!
I noticed the same thing in my family, older generations are more addicted to their phones than any others while also being less media literate and it's a dangerous combo. I feel like we are working towards something better for the future generations and getting off the internet may be the key
Definitely not a good combination 😟
Another struggle besides having to have a phone for QR codes or screens (even many restaurants no longer have menus, just QR codes with a link to their website) is that we are often expected to always be connected. I no longer have a landline but I’m considering getting one so I can turn my phone off and still be reachable in a true emergency. Because I’m somewhat addicted to my phone, I like to turn it off and keep it in another room. If my partner is out travelling for instance, I keep it on so I’m contactable just in case.
What I meant to say was also that many of the things we used to be able to do offline have now been replaced with an online option (like the menu, or dating/meetup apps, even apps like bumble friends for trying to make new friends) which means there are less of these spaces available.
It’s a vicious circle.
We go online because there are less real life options available, and because we stopped going out in person these places closed so we’re forced to go online more and more whether we like it or not.
I love your artwork!
And... I was thinking of writing a piece on how everything is mediated by screens and we've lost simple human interactions (like calling dad for directions). And then I see your piece on my feed...the algorithm reads minds
This is such a big part of it! We now have app for everything and it feels like asking a favour to a friend is a massive inconvenience but it's in those small - yet crucial - gesture and interactions that society is constructed and trust build
It surely does
Just an FYI, Freya has some great content and I stand behind the overall point behind her writing and the folks at After Babel, but after reading through some of the links you attached and other essays by them, I was disappointed to find anti-sex worker and TERFy comments from both. After poking around many essays on stubstack about what technology has done to modern life, the voices range from extremely progressive to extremely... not! Some might call it horseshoe theory. Either way, substack also pushes reactionary content, so something for readers to keep in mind. It's easy to brush past a TRRFy comment when you're nodding your head along with the rest of the essay! I did a few double takes. And still-- increased media literacy and exposure to ideas outside my own can only be a good thing.
Aaargh it's so beyond disappointing (euphemism) to hear, I don't understand the so-called feminists who don't support all women. Thank you for pointing it out
You know I would imagine this piece would resonate with many, many people. I recently gave up twitter, instagram, facebook, etc within the last few years. It is hard, but one could potentially envision a world where we approach our current attitudes with social media with a bit of shame. I have an Iphone for the camera and filming, but it is not connected to a phone number. So, no phone.
I especially connected with your trashing of AI. It is horrible, inhuman, garbage. Anyways, I immigrated to Brasil almost four years ago and live with my wife, relatively isolated compared to my former life in Los Angeles. I hope, as you do, for a future less online. Or one that feels less embarrassing or venomous, soul wrenching.
This was a good piece. I will read more of your work.
Thank you so much for your comment! I hope we do realise there's more to life than the very screen I'm holding in my hands right now. We moved way past the internet utopia and straight into a nightmarish fever
Well put. The ads thing is especially true. I think it is underestimated how far the influence of that goes.
Especially when more and more things are -not so hidden- adds
Yep. I’ve been seeing more and more people with this exact sentiment. Older Gen Z especially tends to be a loud majority, probably because we grew up on the internet, I’d assume.
I like the direction of ditching the “chronically online” world, it’s a good thing to see. Social media has become so toxic that people need a breather!
Definitely an argument in favour, it feels suffocating on social media ! I'm hoping the next generations will have the ability to grow up offline and not in front of a screen
Agree with all this. Even when the internet was newish we had a moment when we realized it was trash:
https://youtu.be/LTJvdGcb7Fs?si=luiu523TnpjENtvg
Yup that sums it all!