Digital loneliness
Cognitive Ecology: The Human
The world’s population has almost doubled during my lifetime. Where one person stood, now there are two, yet we feel lonelier than ever.
Our technological world makes us lonely by design.
It’s a paradox that social media feels so lonely, even though it’s a web of human thoughts—a collective brain carved by algorithmic neural paths.
Or maybe we’re all just lonely people reaching into the void, hoping someone reaches back, hoping to feel their touch.
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We can plug into the technological world built around us only through the glowing screens of our individual terminals.
The more we want to be connected, the lonelier we get.
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Tech is commodifying loneliness.
Minds tethered to our screens, we drift away.
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Our glowing digital cages make being in the real world a premium experience.
Explore the notebook of meditations here: Intro to Cognitive Ecology.
Claudia Befu
I find myself drafting this on a screen, in a room alone, hoping someone reads it and reaches back. That's the paradox of writing about digital loneliness online. What's your version of it?
I haven't read the whole post because I haven't paid for the upgrade - Your thesis - "The more we want to be connected, the lonelier we get." is such an interesting claim - that I may use it as a debating point for my GED students. 1. Who is we? And has the author done enough research to support representing we? - and 2. How do you measure lonelier? Maybe you covered those 2 points in the piece? - Anyways, good luck with the novel. - cheers D.