Hi Alan, just came across this. Terrific essay. I've been thinking about the effect that a lot of technology and society's frenetic pace is having on people's psychology, but also how they interact in real life. I eventually had to delete most of my accounts as I accepted I have limited willpower. Have you read the sociologist Sherry Turkle? I'm eventually going to read her "Reclaiming conversation". Part of the reason I came across this essay was because she mentions in the book that she thinks social media and smartphones are simultaneously making people less truly connected to others in real life, yet also not ever giving themselves the opportunity for true solitude and idleness.
Thanks Ben, I'm glad you enjoyed the essay. I'm not familiar with Sherry Turkle, but I am familiar with that line of reasoning about the disconnecting, disembodied influence of our highly technological culture and social media. I've heard some very interesting points about simple acts we probably don't think about much, such as handwriting rather than typing and the relationship with cognition. But I think the lack of true solitude is crippling, particularly in developmental life stages, because we're now fostering a culture - and I think this is strongly evident among 'Gen Z' - that is purely reactive, and not reflective. And that is quite a dangerous prospect, I think.
Hi Alan, just came across this. Terrific essay. I've been thinking about the effect that a lot of technology and society's frenetic pace is having on people's psychology, but also how they interact in real life. I eventually had to delete most of my accounts as I accepted I have limited willpower. Have you read the sociologist Sherry Turkle? I'm eventually going to read her "Reclaiming conversation". Part of the reason I came across this essay was because she mentions in the book that she thinks social media and smartphones are simultaneously making people less truly connected to others in real life, yet also not ever giving themselves the opportunity for true solitude and idleness.
Thanks Ben, I'm glad you enjoyed the essay. I'm not familiar with Sherry Turkle, but I am familiar with that line of reasoning about the disconnecting, disembodied influence of our highly technological culture and social media. I've heard some very interesting points about simple acts we probably don't think about much, such as handwriting rather than typing and the relationship with cognition. But I think the lack of true solitude is crippling, particularly in developmental life stages, because we're now fostering a culture - and I think this is strongly evident among 'Gen Z' - that is purely reactive, and not reflective. And that is quite a dangerous prospect, I think.