“What is happening?” is always a funny question to ask.
Whatever the situation, there will be layers to it, and nothing exposes those layers quicker than asking this simple question and giving it a little thought.
Giving things a little thought is not quite how things are working these days though. And considering that things aren’t working well these days, in actuality, we as a species need to acknowledge how slow we are being in fully processing that information, because it only further delays our cogent response.
But maybe together we can crack into this idea a little further, looking at an area where humanity might be undermining itself the most presently.
In thinking about what is happening in any given “right now”, consider the following one-player scenario…
All day we receive signals from our environment.
In the real world, you receive signals and can trace their origin.
I’m hearing construction sounds this morning and am able to go look down the street at the house they just knocked down to build a new one, and there I can see the people who will be hammering into my head all day long.
That is not the situation when you are receiving signals from a phone.
On your phone, you do not now know the source of many signals you receive.
Additionally, the nature and motive of these signals are not always clear either, nor their boundaries, because the real world and your real life are still very much in play even if the geography of your inputs spans the globe.
But most of these signals start off innocently enough…
Part of the issue here is, we are not just getting “content” from our devices anymore.
In terms of polished and professional material, we’ve been largely robbed of the level of quality that used to qualify as content and had it replaced with anyone and everyone’s hot and cold takes of everything, where the gossip and mean remarks people used to have to whisper in the shadows can stand right next to the propaganda and stupidity that used to struggle to infect the masses, but that now can do so from center stage.
In many cases, we don’t know the who, what, or why behind the communications we receive. Yet reading what we are reading and seeing what we are seeing is directly resulting in how we are going out in the world acting as we are acting.
Human culture is clearly not mature enough to handle what we have wrought on ourselves, so we get this instead…
If only it were that straight forward.
If only it were that diversified.
If only there weren't algorithms warping space and time on our phone such that people all around the globe have the chance of walking on the wrong side of town without leaving their home.
The pathways to bad places have never been so paved and well-lit.
And if you are wondering why your control is hitting the ball back toward a phone that doesn't care... now you are making the connection that counts.
Your phone doesn't care, and that could be a reason to ask why you care so much.
Because though it might not be interested in what you think, don't lose sight of the fact that your phone is very much paying attention. It's learning every day about you and your connection to the world, whether you are or not.
What can be done with that information playing right back at you via some app is what our phones care about, and it is a far more expansive proposition than anyone ever responsibly considered.
That responsibility has fallen to each of us individually, hence the need to ask "what is happening?" more often when we are looking at our phones.
We are at a dramatic disadvantage with the technical power lighting up the screens in front of us.
We are being computed and used.
We are fish in its barrel.
And for what? ... Everything and nothing at once.
For... is the point not to overwhelm you?
... Are you overwhelmed?
Because you are certainly distracted.
The real game might be more something like this...
Though it is not made clear in the game, you have just lost.
Though it is not made clear in the game, you have just lost.
Though it is not made clear in the game, you have just lost.
...
Thanks for (realizing you are) playing!
...
Next time we'll take it in a different direction. This was supposed to be a post about mental competence and current events. Anyway, until then, ...
Shameless plug...
If you are interested in more of my negative take on smartphones, check out the best-selling You and Your Phone are Boring over at The Papercuts Library!