Digital Deceptions: Introduction Excerpt
For too long, we have embraced and rationalised nearly every technological and digital “advancement” in the name of convenience, enjoyment, and productivity. We race to download every new application, join every new social media platform, and purchase every new gadget because everyone around us is doing the same. We see these devices as facilitating things no other era of humanity was able to do. And we believe we are all the better for it. We call it “advancement”.
What does this “advancement” look like? Children walking to the bus stop in the morning, each with their head down as they stare into the glare of their smartphone, checking their social media accounts, while at least a quarter of them suffer from depression or anxiety. A bustling street at lunch break, filled with busy professionals, professors, and CEOs texting and checking emails every few minutes, many of them plagued with stress, anxiety, or insomnia. A couple sitting on their couch, browsing through an online store, purchasing whatever they desire with the swipe of a finger, while their relationship has been suffering despite all their material possessions. An elderly person sleeping with their phone clutched in their hand with the TV flickering in and out, as it is their only way to stay “connected”. A student sitting in class, chatting with someone hundreds of miles away while they ignore their teacher, only being able to focus on studying with the aid of medications. This is the picture of “advancement”. Undoubtedly, these devices have allowed us to do what we were previously unable to do, but have we stopped seriously and asked what effects they have on us?
Excerpt from Digital Deceptions