This is great. I'm always bothered by the defensiveness of the very online when you bring up the issue of phones etc and they're like "it's not phones, it's the social isolation because there aren't any IRL places like movies or arcades to go to"--like yeah, and maybe the ubiquity of streaming and online games had something to do with that! But like you say, it's both things playing off each other (is this dialectics??).
What I struggle with is that the main reason I'm constantly plugged in is chronic loneliness--not extraordinary loneliness, as I do have real-life social connections, but enough loneliness to keep me plugged in--and it's hard to face unplugging to work through that especially when so many other people are remaining plugged in to deal with their own traumas or because it's where a lot of stuff like political organising is coordinated. But it has to be done at some point--I don't feel like I'm ready right now but this article is a good reminder of the necessity of doing it. Thanks for writing it!
Oh also since the internet has everything it makes it harder to draw a line between engaging with art and writing that makes life better/more bearable and doing the waste-of-time dissociating stuff--if I go online to listen to music, for example, it's such a small distance to scrolling
This is wonderful! Some of your best writing that I've seen. I like that you recognize that there is much more required than simply understanding the internet is an addiction on an intellectual level. Like any addiction, we need the support of others to move through the pain we needed the addiction at one time to protect us from. Rather than telling people to touch grass, we should perhaps ask them if they would like someone to talk to.
beautifully written. and a view from a childhood window into the workings of the machine that I haven't seen before. the detail about the Charlie Brown video really sticks out for me and reminds me of an incident on the psych ward. (I once stopped a riot in its tracks by playing the Charlie Brown christmas album overhead). I suppose the mom in your memory may have chosen it at random over bugs bunny and insert Pixar title here, but there's something deeply almost insidiously American about the Peanuts gang, it seeps from the collective memory pores of everyone who grew up watching network television in the decades before 9.11. anyway it's a fascinating piece, thank you for sharing it.
This is great. I'm always bothered by the defensiveness of the very online when you bring up the issue of phones etc and they're like "it's not phones, it's the social isolation because there aren't any IRL places like movies or arcades to go to"--like yeah, and maybe the ubiquity of streaming and online games had something to do with that! But like you say, it's both things playing off each other (is this dialectics??).
What I struggle with is that the main reason I'm constantly plugged in is chronic loneliness--not extraordinary loneliness, as I do have real-life social connections, but enough loneliness to keep me plugged in--and it's hard to face unplugging to work through that especially when so many other people are remaining plugged in to deal with their own traumas or because it's where a lot of stuff like political organising is coordinated. But it has to be done at some point--I don't feel like I'm ready right now but this article is a good reminder of the necessity of doing it. Thanks for writing it!
thanks for this thoughtful comment!!!
Oh also since the internet has everything it makes it harder to draw a line between engaging with art and writing that makes life better/more bearable and doing the waste-of-time dissociating stuff--if I go online to listen to music, for example, it's such a small distance to scrolling
Proximity of the Internet kinda sucks...
It's capitalism.
Yes, the Internet doesn't help, but it's capitalism.
This is wonderful! Some of your best writing that I've seen. I like that you recognize that there is much more required than simply understanding the internet is an addiction on an intellectual level. Like any addiction, we need the support of others to move through the pain we needed the addiction at one time to protect us from. Rather than telling people to touch grass, we should perhaps ask them if they would like someone to talk to.
I just really, really love reading your writing. Thank you.
really incredible stuff. I’ve been having similar thoughts and you laid everything out so beautifully, with honesty and hope.
Thank you for sharing this again today, I think I missed it last year. Really good stuff and so clearly articulated.
Great as always
I suppose so.
beautifully written. and a view from a childhood window into the workings of the machine that I haven't seen before. the detail about the Charlie Brown video really sticks out for me and reminds me of an incident on the psych ward. (I once stopped a riot in its tracks by playing the Charlie Brown christmas album overhead). I suppose the mom in your memory may have chosen it at random over bugs bunny and insert Pixar title here, but there's something deeply almost insidiously American about the Peanuts gang, it seeps from the collective memory pores of everyone who grew up watching network television in the decades before 9.11. anyway it's a fascinating piece, thank you for sharing it.
But is the Internet not useful?
I'm not sure I liked this article, but I was somewhat agreeing with it. Is it just social media or all of the Internet?
Frankly, I wish someone would just give me a clear answer.
Good luck.