Who would have thought that Tolkien would be 100 years ahead by depicting smart phone addiction. He even got the fact right that you become invisible (ie isolated in your room, not going out) when you use it.
To me the ring feels more like heroine or cocaine or something, you know one of the drugs that just make people feel good. The hobbits had no real ambition for more than a good life, and they pretty much all already had that, so when Bilbo or Frodo used the ring it was like “heh, nice” and then they went back to their great life with no desire to use it again. Of course they’re basically microdosing while they carry it so they eventually start to incur the cost. Frodo only really starts to get corrupted after months of grueling travel and suffering, and losing hope of ever returning to his life in the Shire. Everyone else has all these obligations and ambitions that weigh on them, and much like regular people they’ve given up varying degrees of their happiness to further those goals, so the ring would feel like getting back everything they’ve sacrificed and being happy again, or for the first time for some. The metaphor is a bit of a stretch, but I think it fits broadly with these magical artifacts that corrupt people. Just like cocaine, heroin, meth, morphine, or whatever, they give people a feeling that they can’t just get over. It’s biology, they hijack the reward system so we have no choice but to push the feel good button unless we can overcome the urge through willpower or getting whatever feeling the drug or magical artifact is replacing naturally. Some people only get so corrupted but some just keep going, chasing the dragon and replacing more and more of their life with the fake feelings of the drug or magical item.
the really stupid thing is that i feel like if i go and watch a film or read something for a few hours, that’s an isolated experience. i’m disconnected from the (vague) sense of community i feel online; i feel like i’m missing things.
but then i go back online and it’s the same garbage. even just 10 years ago it used to be good garbage, now it’s just stuff that irritates me
Yeah, I had a good four year stretch where I just had to filter out everything political. I figured it’s better to be ignorant than to be constantly stressed and angry.
I like reading some political posts, especially it they’re about something that’s actually good lol Now I mostly just scroll past them all unless something really catches my eye
Hey, if it was good for you, then good for you. I’ve done the same for shorter stretches of time, about two years one time. It helped my mental health a lot, and then I came back having the energy to actually get involved and do something.
In case anyone needs to hear it, it’s okay and normal to take a break. Or seek support, or whatever you need to do. No lemming is an island, or something like that.
I understand. I feel that way occasionally, too, but honestly, I think that’s irresponsible. Apathy and an unwillingness to pay attention to injustice are huge contributing factors to why the world is as fucked as it is today.
No it’s not doing anything about injustice that is making the world as fucked up as it is today. And that isn’t happening because we are being disempowered.
Choosing to not pay attention, is not irresponsible.
It’s torture, that we’ve been gaslit to think is “easier”.
It’s not easier, the people who do it are victims, methodically traumatized to turn off their empathy, and they are metaphorically drowning.
This is no reason to necessarily try to save them (they pose a real danger, thinking it’s “everyone for themselves”), and many of them are drowning while being rich and powerful as fuck, causing huge damage along the way down. So don’t feel guilt for not breaking bread with them. Do fight them, and do tell them to fuck off.
But we shouldn’t turn our empathy off either. Feeling alone enough to justify being violent to others, is Hell. And part of the solution to our situation is to make a world where it’s harder for people to end up like them.
Thanks. I’ve been very angry out of a feeling of complete helplessness. I’m reading a book about data bias in relation to gender (invisible women) and it’s hitting a lot of sore points that come up being in an office that’s 10% female… There’s four of us.
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