This morning, when my favorite barista hugged me over the counter, my first thought was "the internet could never make me feel this way" (but this came kinda close (; lol)
This is *excellent*—thank you so much for finally discussing this with sense. At first, I was expecting yet another article to tell me that apps are as bad as hard drugs, or, like the crank psychologist Anna Lembke laughably put it, "Instagram is the hypodermic needle of the 21st century." This stuff is so unhelpful, and it displaces the real sources of people's real problems, transferring them to things that are, in themselves, neither good nor bad.
People screaming, "The phones are bad and addictive like drugs," will never take the time to consider that the phones don't exist in a vacuum. The suburbs and rural areas are giant isolating cages and our rat utopias are fast disappearing. It would behoove us to facilitate those connections and build those big, beautiful rat utopias.
Very beautiful essay. I wonder if social media and phone addiction is rooted in the desire to connect while also having control over your image to avoid embarrassment! It feels more risky to go out in public and socialize than behind the screen, even though that risk can pay off!
holy shit this just made my day!! honestly, that makes the whole social media addiction epidemic even more insidious, specifically because it’s addiction masquerading as it’s antithesis - connection. damn you’re good. subscribed. off to consciously and intentionally build my rat park!!
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing this extremely timely and relatable piece. Two organizations you might find interesting: the Foundation for Social Connection and US Chamber of Connection. Both are amazing hubs for the field of social isolation/connection. (Happy to chat to share what I’ve learned about each if ever of interest!)
Playing The Mind while listening to the Succession soundtrack is a dream friend hang, SIGN ME UP. This essay was brilliant, and I loved learning about "Rat Park." People can be such jerks in a car wreck situation, no matter how small, and it's so heartwarming to read about how you handled the experience. More of that energy in the world, please.
I think this is part of why I'm THRILLED to go to my local coffee shop, the post office, etc. during the week. I'm a freelancer and home all day, every day.
This hit me straight in the gut. I am currently in another country where I don't speak the language and I typically only leave my house once a week to go grocery shopping, with the only person I know who speaks English in the whole area. He's a good friend, but it's really hard to only have two or three hours of human interaction in a week. I'm finding it easy to slip into mindless scrolling for hours because it makes me feel like I'm interacting with other people. This felt like being witnessed.
My dad always brings up this one Kurt Vonnegut quote all the time, feels so applicable here: “Oh, she says, well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of people. And see some great looking babies. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And I’ll ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is - we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And it’s like we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.”
This morning, when my favorite barista hugged me over the counter, my first thought was "the internet could never make me feel this way" (but this came kinda close (; lol)
as a former barista, i love this for you. the barista needed it too!
This is *excellent*—thank you so much for finally discussing this with sense. At first, I was expecting yet another article to tell me that apps are as bad as hard drugs, or, like the crank psychologist Anna Lembke laughably put it, "Instagram is the hypodermic needle of the 21st century." This stuff is so unhelpful, and it displaces the real sources of people's real problems, transferring them to things that are, in themselves, neither good nor bad.
People screaming, "The phones are bad and addictive like drugs," will never take the time to consider that the phones don't exist in a vacuum. The suburbs and rural areas are giant isolating cages and our rat utopias are fast disappearing. It would behoove us to facilitate those connections and build those big, beautiful rat utopias.
Very beautiful essay. I wonder if social media and phone addiction is rooted in the desire to connect while also having control over your image to avoid embarrassment! It feels more risky to go out in public and socialize than behind the screen, even though that risk can pay off!
holy shit this just made my day!! honestly, that makes the whole social media addiction epidemic even more insidious, specifically because it’s addiction masquerading as it’s antithesis - connection. damn you’re good. subscribed. off to consciously and intentionally build my rat park!!
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing this extremely timely and relatable piece. Two organizations you might find interesting: the Foundation for Social Connection and US Chamber of Connection. Both are amazing hubs for the field of social isolation/connection. (Happy to chat to share what I’ve learned about each if ever of interest!)
Thank you so much for these recs!!
Playing The Mind while listening to the Succession soundtrack is a dream friend hang, SIGN ME UP. This essay was brilliant, and I loved learning about "Rat Park." People can be such jerks in a car wreck situation, no matter how small, and it's so heartwarming to read about how you handled the experience. More of that energy in the world, please.
I think this is part of why I'm THRILLED to go to my local coffee shop, the post office, etc. during the week. I'm a freelancer and home all day, every day.
Haha I got a kiss.
💋
Wow ❤️
Connection is life’s energy drink. If only more of us turned that way!
This hit me straight in the gut. I am currently in another country where I don't speak the language and I typically only leave my house once a week to go grocery shopping, with the only person I know who speaks English in the whole area. He's a good friend, but it's really hard to only have two or three hours of human interaction in a week. I'm finding it easy to slip into mindless scrolling for hours because it makes me feel like I'm interacting with other people. This felt like being witnessed.
Thank you, this gives A LOT to think about. One of the challenges - how to connect with people without feeling exhausted / drained after..
I love this, the simplicity and truth behind “the opposite of addition is connection”!
This made me cry! About to turn 25 and have been thinking so much about the relationships I have & the ones I want. It’s all about connection!!
My dad always brings up this one Kurt Vonnegut quote all the time, feels so applicable here: “Oh, she says, well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of people. And see some great looking babies. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And I’ll ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is - we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And it’s like we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.”
All that’s to say, this was a great read.
Ooh I love this. I’m so very encouraged by the enthusiasm you had to meet someone new when you got hit by a car! I want to have this mindset!