Do all the devices in our lives, such as tablets, phones, screens, computers etc, make our lives better? Are our relationships stronger or weaker for owning them?
In the ‘50s, soon after the birth of television, an English writer and philosopher, J.B. Priestley observed that the more elaborate our means of communication become, the less we actually communicate. This is now known as the “Priestley Paradox” and it is even more accurate and compelling in this digital age.
The average adult in Britain now spends more time online than doing anything else in their life, including sleeping.
The question we will ask on your death bed is “What have you done in your life”? and the response will surely be “I haven’t achieved very much. I was online most of the time”. More and more this is the standard response.
Here are a few more examples:
- How many other countries have you visited?
- What was the most exciting thing you did?
- Did you ever experience a live theatre show?
- How many times did you fall in love?
- Is your life exciting in any way at all?
- Are you happy with the way your partner connects with you?
- Do you believe that you would better connect with other people if you didn’t have those devices?
The devil is in the devices and its controlling you.
John A Wilson, Gold Coast, January 2021
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