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From Divine Beings to Digital Avatars
It is not often I wake up at 2.45AM after a heavy-duty class of Brazilian Jujitsu and must write something or run the risk of losing it in the ether.
We were once divine beings, now we’re digital avatars. Once we were celestial beings, divine sparks, living a life of pure spiritual existence. Now, we are mere digital avatars, trapped in the labyrinth of algorithms, our spiritual journey hindered by the cold, calculating grip of technology.
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
The Digital Plague of Distraction
In this age of constant connectivity, distraction has become a digital plague. Young adults are falling victim to the siren song of their smartphones, spending in many cases up to an astonishing 8 hours or more each day. It is like reaching the end of a captivating novel to then have yet another amazing subject line and chapter shoved in front of your face. This relentless assault on our attention spans makes it nearly impossible to concentrate, leading to a decline in productivity, learning, and overall well-being.
The Toll of Excessive Smartphone Use
A significant portion of young people spend more time on their phones than sleeping. Studies have shown that many teenagers and young adults spend upwards of 8-10 hours per day on their devices, often surpassing the recommended amount of sleep.
The average person checks their phone approximately 150 times per day. This constant barrage of notifications and updates can lead to a state of constant distraction and information overload.
Some sources:
- Mental Health: Increased screen time linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. (APA, 2023)
- Physical Health: Can contribute to eye strain, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. (AOA, 2024)
- Social Isolation: Displaces face-to-face interactions, leading to loneliness and FOMO. (Pew Research Center, 2022)
- Productivity Decline: Distractions and procrastination can hinder focus and efficiency. It takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus after being interrupted by a notification (University of California, Irvine, 2023)
It’s time to break free from the chains of distraction and reclaim focus.
To be clear; I am not a doomsayer. I do believe that technology coupled with old-fashioned hobbies is the solution. They include Tai chi, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, hiking, swimming, gardening, dancing, yoga, writing, drawing, cooking, playing a musical instrument, reading, puzzles, learning a new language, board games, chess, meditation, journaling, stargazing, and birdwatching to name a few are part of the answer.
The Future of Technology
Technology does has the answer to fix many problems. For an example two of my friends have robot floor cleaners that recharge themselves and wash and hoover their floors, they recharge themselves and clean the floor so well you may never need plates again if you are that way inclined.
Last week, I wrote about Elon Musk’s robot. Since then, I’ve pondered this and our lives. And what they will be like in 5, 10, 20 years. I am excited as I believe we can manage our lives in harmony with our new digital assistants and create that utopia for the privileged few, unfortunately many won’t be able to afford them so a new underclass will be created.
But they are dark overlords
Some of my friends may think the opposite and think of them as dark overlords. But I think with the right training, and crucial security protocols, personal robots will create a whole new era of jobs, from programmers to repairmen, trainers, cleaners, etc. Then, of course, scrap yards and hopefully, we won’t have some rogue robots causing all sorts of mayhem in martial arts schools, on the battlefield and on shooting ranges.
Back in the 1980s, we had a lot of films like “Look Who’s Talking,” “A Fish Called Wanda”, you name it. And I just remember Johnny Five from “Short Circuit”, who reprogrammed his fellow robots, and they went rogue, smoking cigarettes and playing cards.
I always loved these futuristic films like “The Terminator” and its ideas. And now, I realized they are there to make sure we are on the edge of caution when developing and deploying new technologies.
Things were different back then we had stick control robotic arms, cassette recorders, and cameras. When developing the film took three to five days if you were lucky!
Ah, nostalgia. I digress.
Listen, as I said in a video over a year ago, I know you want one of these robots. I do too!
And another thing. Just think, our existence is like a grain of sand in the Sahara. In two or three generations, we will probably all be just a name on a family tree that hopefully continues. And our great Aunt Maud and Uncle Albert will be remembered on a database because of some fact-based argument they had with Greta Thunberg.
So, whatever you do, try to leave a positive impact everywhere you go and do what makes you happy as you only have one shot.
Oh, another thing, poor Greta, she missed a lot of her childhood. If you have kids, shelter them, take them outside to enjoy the little things as those become the big things.
A Call to Action
Let’s strive to create a future where technology enhances our lives, rather than controlling them. By unplugging and focusing on human connection and well-being, we can build a better future for ourselves and generations to come.
Just one more thought want to share your wisdom, reach out to me and I might include it in next week’s Friday newsletter.