Have we forgotten how to be bored?
Ideothetic Flow
Hi everyone!
This week's article has an interesting take on the digital era, exploring one of the ways that smartphones have (possibly without us realising) changed our lives.
Why you should get bored more often - Ozan Varol
Ozan Varol discusses his realisation that: in the smartphone era, he is no longer "bored". Rather than replacing boredom with fun or pleasure, he observes that we are often distracted or overwhelmed with the vast amount of potential activities available. He then thinks about some of the potential side effects of this loss of boredom.
I found this to be a good observation about our relationship with technology, and also a trigger for me to think back of a time not so long ago before we had computers in our hand.
To be fair to the smartphone, whether we have lost critical thinking or creativity as he describes is questionable. Never before has it been possible to immediately find dissenting views or critical analysis on almost any topic available, and then engage in real time debate across the globe. The ability to quickly distribute content has also empowered many independent creatives, who in turn inspire creativity in others.
Tools are merely as good as we can use them, and the smartphone is no exception. Thoughts of people like Ozan are valuable in helping us realise and assess the impact of technology on our lives. We can then make changes to ensure we use technology effectively.
Besides applying these thoughts to our current lives, there is a deeper purpose for thinking hard about these issues. I feel that today's generation of adults - having experienced life before, during, and after the rise of digital age - have a special role as gatekeepers for the next generation. We are the ones who know of life before and after all this technology became commonplace, and as a result, have the responsibility to filter which parts of everyday life get replaced by technology, and how.
Something to illustrate the current circumstances (display images to see!)
P.S. There is a lot of content out there with tips on how to use technology better. I am undecided for now whether I want to share more of it here. Do drop me a message if you think this is something which would interest you and I will share more of it in future issues!
Hope you have a great week ahead!
James
ABOUT
Ideothetic Flow is a fortnightly newsletter where I reflect on insights that I have found useful in rethinking life in a more realistic way.
Modern culture, media, and technology, for all their benefits, have distorted the view of a complete and happy life. The ideas I share are those which have helped me gain a deeper understanding of my own identity and circumstances, and inspire change towards a happier life, and I hope they will do the same for anyone else who reads this.
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