A few thoughts

Afternoon folks, it’s been a while. I’ll be keeping today’s blog post relatively short as I adjust to swimming in the tumultuous sea of all that’s associated with final year. After a summer of somewhat nihilistic activities, I’ve come to a few realisations. Not to sound like your I’m preaching too much, but there is something I read recently that struck a chord. 

Technological advancement and its rapid acceleration has brought upon us unprecedented levels of comfort in the developed world. Never before has it been so easy to share funny stories in WhatsApp group chats, send someone a ‘you up text’ at 8:30pm (…), or to read swathes upon swathes of news articles online. We live in an age of hyper-convenience, predicated by the transmission of data and the continual development of complex algorithms. As a result of this general trend, our internet usage in Europe has risen 35% since 2011. Is this a good thing?

Figures of those afflicted by mental health issues are also on the rise. South Korea, for example, is one of the prime examples globally of a country that experienced an economic boom that lifted it out of the egregious hands of poverty. Between 1985 and 2020 its economy boomed, and yet so did its figures for those suffering from mental health issues. With more money, better jobs and a better education for its citizens, came a 400% rise in suicide rates. Technology improves in tandem with increases in standards of living. 

In countries in their infancy in terms of development, such as Haiti, Peru and Ghana, the average rate of suicide for every 100,000 is approximately 5. In developed countries like Switzerland, New Zealand and Ireland, our number is more than double this. Take what you will from those numbers, but it seems that higher levels of material comfort induces a higher level of mental strife. At our core as humans, we are neanderthals who have been fortunate to experience the benefits of evolution over the last 130,000 years. Neither the prefrontal cortex nor the amygdala in our brains were cut out for the constant stream of information that technology gifts us every time we unlock our phones. We weren’t made for this age of hyperconnectivity. It seems we, as a species, could definitely take a step back. 

In my experience, it truly is the small things in life that make it a life worth living. In the past, I was guilty of mindlessly and even numbly scrolling through swathes of utter shite on social media. Travelling places, I’d listen to music rather than my thoughts. Watching a movie, I’d incessantly refresh Snapchat, rather than appreciate how good (or terrible) the movienwas. I’ve since found a lot of solace in doing things being fully conscious. It’s allowed me to make better decisions and form a general clearer world view. 

So in short; technology is incredibly useful and important. It allows us to converse at ease, to make ourselves smarter, and to entertain ourselves. The major pitfall is that with extremely high usage levels, our vision of life is at best blurred; and at worst it is darkened. Instead of texting your friend, go out and meet them. Instead of drooling over pictures of an influencer, ask someone you find attractive out on a coffee date. Life is there to be lived in real time, not through the lens of an iPhone.