Are We All Overstimulated Slaves in Our Tech Heavy Future?

Most of us are guilty of staring down at our smartphones or laptops more than we’d like. How many times have you said, “Just a minute,” while nose deep in your phone, a fellow human waiting for your full attention? 

We are the digitally distracted. We are bombarded by information constantly: messages, notifications, and advertisements fly out at us from the digital void 24/7. 

Some of us are conscious of this pernicious behavior. We may choose to leave our phones behind or assign tech-free days to our schedules, but even then, there is the sense of swimming against the current. Digital is all around us and we are at its beck and call.

The Oracle of Hyper-Reality

Keiichi Matsuda recently unveiled a six-minute video entitled “Hyper-Reality.” Described as a provocative and kaleidoscopic vision of the future, it shows us the writing on the wall

This extreme interpretation of what could happen in a world saturated by media might leave many a little anxious. Already most of us spend hours face-down, looking at a screen, consuming countless amounts of information and influence. That makes this fantasy more than fiction; it’s a wake-up call. It’s an early warning that if we do not exercise self-awareness, our screens will herald a virtual overlay that will encompass every part of our lives. 

It’s already happening.

Stop. Look Around

A dystopian future where pop-up ads invade every aspect of our daily lives, where we are all in a constant state of overstimulation, is here; and when we see an extreme version of it, we are understandably frightened. Well, that’s pure irony. Just look around you! Look around any restaurant, bar or public place. You are likely to see groups of people giving more attention to their electronic devices than to each other. Keiichi Matsuda:

Our physical and virtual realities are becoming increasingly intertwined. Technologies such as VR, augmented reality, wearables, and the Internet of things are pointing to a world where technology will envelop every aspect of our lives. 

The tension is so palpable that full-fledged industries are devoted to digital detox, or premised on it.

Digital Detox and Mindfulness

The digital detox tours are designed to keep you on the right side of the lens. It is obligatory to leave both your phone and your camera at home so you can concentrate on living the moment, rather than recording it. It’s a push back against digital. And we too are pushing back—think about the prevalence of ad-blockers and similar technology.

The solutions aren’t total elimination or iconoclastic rebellion. They are moderation. It’s an escapist term that has a slightly gentle tenor, but I mean it in all seriousness. We need to aggressively moderate our consumption so that we can more easily step back and assess our behavior and the effects of technology on our lives.

We obviously inhabit two worlds, yet we cannot inhabit them both fully. Whatever gives and take happen should be deliberate.

I find the hyper-reality video a timely reminder of how too much of anything will never end well. I like to think that each and every one of us is blessed with the common sense to control whether we are engulfed by hyper-reality.

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.

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