Modern Independence

One of the many definitions of imprison is ” to limit, restrain or confine in any way”.

In any way.

To say that technology has had no benefit to society, or mankind, would be an outright lie. The in-exhaustive list of medical equipment is evidence to the contrary, let alone any of the many other technologies that humanity has in its arsenal as well.

But to say it has only had a net positive effect would be an outright lie, too.

Bombs. An easy example.

But the thing that you are probably holding in your hand right now, it is is on the latter list, too.

It limits

It limits your social skills, relying on faceless, emotionless messaging or video chats. Video chats are great for long distance relatives, but it’s reliance isn’t just from them. People don’t meet up to chat, don’t go to 3rd spaces (which are dying, but is it the chicken or the egg?).

It limits our attention spans. Tiktok, Instagram reels, YouTube shorts. All designed algorithms to keep your attention span and get you to consume as much as you can in a short amount of time. Kids are especially susceptible to this, their wailings when their iPad is taken off of them akin to the cries of a child born in the womb of a heroine addict mother who needs it’s fix. 

Parents run around diagnosing their 2 month old with ADHD because it has no attention span, without ever considering if giving it a big touchy screen with high contrast bright colourful anthropomorphic fruit, designed to hold its attention, has maybe caused the issue.

It limits our experience, as well are relegated to what forms of entertainment are available on our phones, as we lack the attention to practice any new skill and stick with it. We need instant gratification. No pushing through the pain of learning a new instrument, an art medium, a language, a new trick on a skateboard.

It restrains

It restrains us from developing our thinking skills, and problem solving abilities. 

It restrains our resourcefulness, why go and figure something out, however difficult, when you can just Google it, or get ai to do it. 

It confines 

It confines us to the world only in our phones. Which is objectively a very large one. But it actually confine you into your corner, because these apps are designed for engagement. You don’t get shown things outside of what you may like, it confines you to what you engage in.

It confines you to your house.

It confines you to whatever seat is most comfortable to sit in whilst you scroll, or is nearest the charger or a socket.

It confines our experience, to whatever we are being told subliminally or explicitly in the news, media, social media or short form content. It confines our understanding to what certain people what it to be confined to to.

Germany doesn’t recognize attempting or successfully escaping prison as a crime, as it is a normal human thing to do.

So we can escape this tech prison, but first we need to know we are in one. 

Someone born inside a box, can not comprehend its measurements as they are used by observers outside the box to define the box. So therefore it is up to those outside of the box, to let the ones inside know they are in there. 

And it’s okay to get out.