Developing a balanced relationship with technology.
Every technology is both a burden and a blessing; not either-or, but this-and-that.
Neil Postman I start from the premise that we are living in a very difficult, very interesting time, a time in which a major historical period is coming to a convoluted end.
Almost everyone I talk to suffers from an ambivalent relationship with their personal technology. Especially the smartphone. Our lives are more connected and convenient, yet we feel disconnected and overloaded. We feel burdened from being constantly available online, yet can’t imagine ourselves considering the alternative. Instead of abandoning these facilities, we each develop techniques for containing our dependency. Some perform digital detoxes, others quit social media or turn their screens black and white. Each act, a small revolution against the pressure of change.
To better understand the transition we are going through, I have been conducting interviews asking people how they feel about technological change. Such as whether they sense the world is speeding up, how often they go offline, and what they feel about the future. In talking to people, multiple patterns have emerged.
