Tech Addiction Is More of a Problem Than People Realize

[Basalt Beach]

In line with Bob Womack's post "Eerie Experience This Morning", I find this article lines up quite well with his experience.

As an example, this post permits me to connect with the AGF community, however, as the author observes, the depth of the connection through the use of technology is limited.

I also agree with the author that "we are drowning in data, but starving for wisdom".

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/tech/t...ize-ncna810246

[buddyhu]

I vigorously disagree with the “starving for wisdom” part of the statement.

Wisdom traditions and esoteric teachings are more available today than ever before. Things that someone would have to travel thousands of miles to even hope to be taught are available immediately on the internet. Lectures by accomplished practitioners and revered teachers of all stripes are on YouTube. Translations of ancients texts of all traditions are also available through a quick Google search and a few clicks.

Think of how hard it was to find any esoteric teaching or truly wise teacher 150 years ago...you usually had to be quite devoted and quite lucky, and probably devote all of your energies to searching and seeking.

Any lack of wisdom is because of poor consumptive habits...going for content that is basically “junk food” for the psyche and soul, rather than the deep nourishment that can be had more easily than ever before.

The use of the term “addiction” says it all: when the suffering that attends compulsive use gets great enough, people will seek a return to sanity and a healing of their addictive propensities. In the interim, it will be quite a roller coaster ride, with lots of self-destructive behavior being manifest.

[RP]

...So our ability to succeed in the technology-dominated workplace of the future depends, in no small measure, on our ability to — right now — take back control of our technology, and our lives.

I personally feel that the real issues are and will increase outside of the workplace. Social interactions, such as we enjoy on AGF and other online locations, will increasingly become the norm while REAL interpersonal interactions may become less frequent and meaningful....

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I vigorously disagree with the “starving for wisdom” part of the statement.

Wisdom traditions and esoteric teachings are more available today than ever before. Things that someone would have to travel thousands of miles to even hope to be taught are available immediately on the internet. Lectures by accomplished practitioners and revered teachers of all stripes are on YouTube. Translations of ancients texts of all traditions are also available through a quick Google search and a few clicks.

Think of how hard it was to find any esoteric teaching or truly wise teacher 150 years ago...you usually had to be quite devoted and quite lucky, and probably devote all of your energies to searching and seeking.

Any lack of wisdom is because of poor consumptive habits...going for content that is basically “junk food” for the psyche and soul, rather than the deep nourishment that can be had more easily than ever before.

The use of the term “addiction” says it all: when the suffering that attends compulsive use gets great enough, people will seek a return to sanity and a healing of their addictive propensities. In the interim, it will be quite a roller coaster ride, with lots of self-destructive behavior being manifest.

I would tend to agree that we are not starving for wisdom I think it is more a matter of choosing to ignore it, and the rejection of it becoming a form of acceptable and promoted behavior

[Basalt Beach]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I vigorously disagree with the “starving for wisdom” part of the statement.

Wisdom traditions and esoteric teachings are more available today than ever before. Things that someone would have to travel thousands of miles to even hope to be taught are available immediately on the internet. Lectures by accomplished practitioners and revered teachers of all stripes are on YouTube. Translations of ancients texts of all traditions are also available through a quick Google search and a few clicks.

Think of how hard it was to find any esoteric teaching or truly wise teacher 150 years ago...you usually had to be quite devoted and quite lucky, and probably devote all of your energies to searching and seeking.

Any lack of wisdom is because of poor consumptive habits...going for content that is basically “junk food” for the psyche and soul, rather than the deep nourishment that can be had more easily than ever before.

The use of the term “addiction” says it all: when the suffering that attends compulsive use gets great enough, people will seek a return to sanity and a healing of their addictive propensities. In the interim, it will be quite a roller coaster ride, with lots of self-destructive behavior being manifest.

Rich,

No doubt they are more available, however, as you point out, they have poor consumption habits. I believe that individuals who are glued to their phones are bombarded with data, but not wisdom. This is what I inferred from the author's statement. I liken it to satisfying our hunger with junk food when what really is needed is nourishment. Perhaps going through the article might put it in better context.

[Basalt Beach]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I would tend to agree that we are not starving for wisdom I think it is more a matter of choosing to ignore it, and the rejection of it becoming a form of acceptable and promoted behavior

I observe information/data being pushed to the user while wisdom is not. In general, people will consume what is put in front of them. Data and information pushed to you is convenient and requires very little effort to consume. As you noted, it requires thoughtful choice and effort to ignore it and consume something else.

[consentingblue]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I vigorously disagree with the “starving for wisdom” part of the statement.

Any lack of wisdom is because of poor consumptive habits...going for content that is basically “junk food” for the psyche and soul, rather than the deep nourishment that can be had more easily than ever before.

This is the key problem today- most of us go for the easy, addictive, more-base stuff.
You know elephants will just eat marshmallows all day if you hand-feed it to them.

[Truckjohn]

I agree in a sense... And that sense is that there's a natural swing of the pendulum... Society seems to swing back and forth between embrace of technology and an embrace of anachronism... And we are currently over on the "Embrace technology/disdain anachronism" side...

With that swing - we have more or less ignored or disdained "The Classics" as well as "traditional" wisdom.. The body of timeless "Wisdom" that has stood the test of centuries and even millenia... Ironically - this existing body of wisdom already addresses all of these points.. It doesn't specifically call out how to operate Smart Phones... But there has been plenty of "New Stuff" in the last 3,000 years.

And so the real solution is not to invent new and creative innovations - rather it is to allow that neither "The Ancients", nor your parents were idiots... That the body of existing wisdom is worthwhile even in our Grand New Era...

Thanks

[fatt-dad]

We're drowning in influence!

f-d

[fazool]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I would tend to agree that we are not starving for wisdom I think it is more a matter of choosing to ignore it, and the rejection of it becoming a form of acceptable and promoted behavior

I believe in this era of information-overload, the true challenge will be discernment and the ability to separate good wisdom from bad.

[RP]

Originally Posted by fazool

I believe in this era of information-overload, the true challenge will be discernment and the ability to separate good wisdom from bad.

Isn't "bad wisdom" an oxymoron???

[Basalt Beach]

Originally Posted by fazool

I believe in this era of information-overload, the true challenge will be discernment and the ability to separate good wisdom from bad.

Is it overload, or simply an over abundance? No one is forcing us to take it in, and what starts out as a conscious choice becomes an addiction and habit. I liken it to buffet constantly placed in front of us. Individuals need to learn the discipline of portion control and knowing what is good to eat.

[TaoMaas]

They may have been talking about Facebook, but I think it could apply to constantly surfing the internet in general. Someone said it's like gambling. You keep pulling the lever until you get a payoff...and that makes you go right back to pulling the lever again. You get a "hit" just often enough to keep you addicted.

[Silurian]

From the article:

"One of the things we’re doing at Thrive Global with our technology platform — creating apps and tools and even AI that helps rebuild those barriers around our humanity, and reclaim the time and space needed for real connection."

Addicted to the internet?

We've got an app for that.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by RP

Isn't "bad wisdom" an oxymoron???

I don't know but it sounds like a heck of great song hook