Where Are We Heading?
An insight into the concept of human connection in the digital age.
When we consider how humans have been interacting for millennia one thing is for sure, the point that we are at now is completely unique in this regard, how does it feel if I asked you to imagine holding a small rectangle box that projects light into your face, does this feel natural in any way?
Now the fact that social media and connectivity has allowed us to know much more information about the world around us can be seen as a huge benefit, how does this really have an effect on us, and the human condition. Will we be moving forward into a world where this information is more integrated into our biology in some way, we’re not sure about that just yet.
The clear point here is that if you try to exist outside of social media and technology then your life improves drastically. There are a number of reasons for this and we can review them in no specific order.
Having too much information only leads to an overload of mental analysis which in result leads to overstimulation and scrambling of the brain. If you have the skill of compartmentalising then this could be remedied, however this also results in using mental capital. Prevention is better than cure.
Mutual trust and connection with one another is more deeply achieved when looking into someone’s eyes and understanding body language in totality. This kind of bond isn’t found in online settings, not to forget all of the secondary benefits and rewards which are provided as gestures of inclusivity in real situations.
Individuals do not act as they would in an online settings and become simply echo chambers of their own feed, expressing themselves in ways which are far more abrasive than that of real discourse and empathy.
Connecting with individuals to share not only the good, which is the sole focus on social media but also the negative aspects and difficulties of life, allow for deeper connection to overcome their problems.
Individuals have moved away from the originality of what it is to connect are truly creative and new themes but rather create online content which fits into the trending algorithm box for monetary reward. Who is really responsible for the output and is it really creative if it follows a pre-existing pattern? How much benefit does it deliver for us to know about countless datapoints across the globe. Are we designed for this, or does it cause spikes in anxiety and loss of control?
One thing is for sure whether it is admitted or not by the overarching platforms, humanity much prefers the age of pre social media and the freedom that came with it. Can we carve out new habits that connect us with new people outside of the digital world? We would certainly be better off without the software dopamine trap
There are more aspects to this discussion and further areas of development, potentially in combining technology to facilitate a more natural real human interaction which not only promotes mental wellbeing but a more connected world. Will the AI revolution open new doors for human connectivity?
