Tag: Media

Unmoored

What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?

The concept of ‘having it all’ implies an appreciation of what is also ‘moderate’ and what is ‘minimal’. It also assumes a type of thinking process based on linear measure. There are numerous theories as to the origins of this type of thought (too numerous for this blurb) but it is fundamental in our modern Western way of life. Everything is measured and compared, everything is scrutinised and evaluated from numbers of grains of sand, kilometres travelled to the size of the universe. How much have you got in the bank? How tall are you? How pretty or influential are you? Science, engineering and technology are each based on specific terms of measurable analysis bringing us closer and closer to what would appear to be greater appreciation and understanding. Similarly, sport and artistic endeavour are measurable when applied to competition providing supply for the gambling industry. But the fallout is severe with addiction and personal financial loss.

However there is another way of living, another way of seeing that is quieter and seems to go unnoticed in today’s noise. Terms such as ’go slow’, ‘vibration’ and ‘present’ reflect something else that is gaining traction. There is nothing new in this of course. Writers such as Eckhart Tolle focus on contemporary dilemmas and reveal how we fall victim to abstract thinking. Burkeman in Four Thousand Weeks speaks of our artificial appreciation of time: ‘this strange moment in history, when time feels so unmoored, might in fact provide the ideal opportunity to reconsider our relationship with it.’

YouTube

How do you use social media?

In the early day of social media I was drawn to YouTube because it seemed different. Videos were a bit amateurish and fun and you felt connected to the people that made them. Of course this has changed just as the internet itself has changed. With increasing corporate interest and with AI, much of it is indistinguishable from mainstream media. Now of course, YouTube is a behemoth. There are videos of every conceivable subject from the sublime to the ridiculous (and everything in between). The offbeat content is still there but so is the informative including news channels and informed opinion otherwise inaccessible from mainstream media. It is the opportunity to see this nuanced and alternative opinion that’s interesting. There are channels featuring those with like minded interests by the zillion and you can easily fall into the time wastage trap. And herein lies the paradox: are you able to consciously monitor the content, or are you merely a passive recipient of algorithm‑driven material? Is the content actually constructive in the sense that it is informative or is it really reinforcing set narratives? Are you subject to increasingly addictively driven content that you are unable to resist? Maybe you can find the answers on YouTube 🙂

Just weird

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

There is a moment when you realise you have to unplug when you start exhibiting strange or unusual behaviours. It’s surely better to unplug well in advance but as is so often the case the ‘red flags’ are often ignored. Considering the rather strange and ever-changing world we inhabit I guess it’s to be expected.

Nevertheless some of these distraction strategies are a bit weird. Sucking ice cubes, counting Pi (π) decimal places, cold showers, water submersion, obsessive cleaning, cracking nuts, fidgeting and nail biting, peeling glue from your hands, popping bubble wrap, hoarding, smashing glass, ceramics throwing, folding hot towels, watching gross videos on YouTube, listening to foreign languages (without understanding them), reciting recipes and polishing silverware. 😮 Some of these activities seem normal enough but the weirder ones are concerning.

So how do you unplug and what’s the best way to do it? While I admit to fidgeting, watching YouTube (but not gross videos) and buying stuff that I don’t need, the best remedy for me is physical activity whether it be stretching, yoga or just stepping out and taking a walk. Nothing beats a good book for distraction. But a real one and not some generic digital text generated by ChatGPT.

Blogging

Why do you blog?

I began blogging some years ago and I thought about this question when I started out. What is the key motivation to write and then to post online? I guess it varies from one blogger to the next
For me it’s a somewhat self indulgent experience and I’m not overly affected by the opinions of others. Let me clarify. I value the blogosphere – the opinions in the community of bloggers, whereas I don’t care too much for social media. Bloggers have the opportunity for individuality and they are free to express it. All voices are welcome and their differences merely adds to the variety. Compare this to regular social media. While theoretically, you have free expression, currently there is a crisis in regards to freedom of speech. And quite often it’s the style and content that is lacking. To me, ‘micro blogging’ appears dull and moderated. By contrast, bloggers seem unafraid to express themselves in their own words and they can do it without the distraction of infinity apps and manipulative algorithms. I’d rather do without endless newsfeed and upselling and I don’t care for millions of indifferent users. Why not leave the beaten track and find somewhere to express anything you want? (Well, nearly anything, tee-hee).