Living in the 21st century feels like living through Dutch Tulip mania, the Salem witch trials, and Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" all rolled into one on an annual basis.
In the span of 5ish years how many manias have been unleashed? Trumpmania, Covidmania, George Floyd-mania, and that doesn't include lesser manias like #MeToo, Trans, Brexit, Ukraine etc etc.
And the reason why is obvious: smartphones, constant internet access, and social media are the greatest tools of social conditioning and mass-opinion control and formation ever invented, and they are to mass hysteria what open sewers and rat turds were to medieval plagues.
Modern technology has been as radically destabilizing to our world as the printing press was to 15th century Europe, and that took about a century of wars before all that preceded it was gone and some sort of stasis was reached.
The Machines are swallowing the world, humans and their brains first and foremost, and things aren't likely to settle down until all has been thoroughly digested.
most everyone can agree that the last 5-6 years have been extra crazy, but the majority just can’t see the correlation with smart phones and SM as the culprit.
if I even mention this anywhere, I am usually met with the criticism of “another White Guy, longing for the past when the world looked like he does”.
their alternative explanations for the recent insanity is usually a mix of Trumpers, white supremacy, Elon and Kanye, Covid and unequal outcomes.
no one wants to admit that they are completely addicted to technology and like Meth, the longer U use it, the more delusional one becomes.
The more you align with a technological way of life, the less you engage with the spiritual, ethical aspects of life. In other words, the less human you become.
I am always painfully aware that my own reliance on this infernal device has increased significantly. I would like nothing better than to be shot of it. Or at least, to ratchet down its use significantly. I'm now off all social media except for Substack. My fervent hope is that the covid debacle/narrative starts shifting significantly and that we start seeing some justice and accountability. That may be a pipe dream, I am well aware. I only remain transfixed because I fear for my children and feel a need to see this through. It's almost like being at a deathbed vigil. But a vigil for society. One in which I desperately need it not to die. But deep down, suspect it might. Or at least, the bits that I care most about.
Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" comes painfully to mind. The beast certainly seems to be slouching home.
I too am painfully aware of the damage my smart phone has done and is doing to me.
I’ve deleted all SM except Substack and YT.
even so, it continues to be a problem.
I’m currently trying to find a flip phone with a good keyboard and GPS for work. no luck so far.
unfortunately, I think the accountability for the criminal Covid measures we endured will never occur. the ones who perpetrated the crime are also the ones in charge...
We were out of town for 2.5 months and just returned to a drained car battery. I blame Trumpers, White Supremacy, Elon and Kanye, Unequal outcomes, the Patriarchy (you left that one off), Transphobic Bigots, and of course the failure of our car battery to wear a mask while we were gone.
Plenty of perma-maskers out there. Have restaurants, theaters, stadiums, etc. established masking and non masking seating areas like the old smoking ones? Maybe amusement parks can have "you must have had 6 covid shots to ride this ride " rules?
I think the lady who wants to live in a covid extreme community should do so. Solves a problem for the rest of us
I have been fascinated by a young woman at work - a lovely person - who is still wearing her mask. This is three years down the line! After South Africa ditched them yonks ago. She is devoted to it, on account of her grandparents, with whom she lives. She has bought the lie - such a clever bit of deceit with it's "abundance of caution". Just enough of a caveat to make it not quite a lie. And she is no ignoramus, moreover! A doctorate in a science discipline which should have given her ample opportunity to unpick the facts. The covid behemoth has hijacked this lovely young person's reasoning faculties and forced her to live a ridiculously face-hidden, constrained life for three years!
I am reminded of the use of nosegays in the times of plague. At least they had some utility in that they masked smells! Nor were they used to virtue signal. This piece I paste below is ironic in that it rightly points out that people made a false correlation saying bad smells cause diseases - and yet still manages to inject a little bit of Covid "panic" in her opening paragraph! The world is still stumbling around in the middle ages....
Living in the 21st century feels like living through Dutch Tulip mania, the Salem witch trials, and Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" all rolled into one on an annual basis.
In the span of 5ish years how many manias have been unleashed? Trumpmania, Covidmania, George Floyd-mania, and that doesn't include lesser manias like #MeToo, Trans, Brexit, Ukraine etc etc.
And the reason why is obvious: smartphones, constant internet access, and social media are the greatest tools of social conditioning and mass-opinion control and formation ever invented, and they are to mass hysteria what open sewers and rat turds were to medieval plagues.
Modern technology has been as radically destabilizing to our world as the printing press was to 15th century Europe, and that took about a century of wars before all that preceded it was gone and some sort of stasis was reached.
The Machines are swallowing the world, humans and their brains first and foremost, and things aren't likely to settle down until all has been thoroughly digested.
yep.
most everyone can agree that the last 5-6 years have been extra crazy, but the majority just can’t see the correlation with smart phones and SM as the culprit.
if I even mention this anywhere, I am usually met with the criticism of “another White Guy, longing for the past when the world looked like he does”.
their alternative explanations for the recent insanity is usually a mix of Trumpers, white supremacy, Elon and Kanye, Covid and unequal outcomes.
no one wants to admit that they are completely addicted to technology and like Meth, the longer U use it, the more delusional one becomes.
The more you align with a technological way of life, the less you engage with the spiritual, ethical aspects of life. In other words, the less human you become.
I am always painfully aware that my own reliance on this infernal device has increased significantly. I would like nothing better than to be shot of it. Or at least, to ratchet down its use significantly. I'm now off all social media except for Substack. My fervent hope is that the covid debacle/narrative starts shifting significantly and that we start seeing some justice and accountability. That may be a pipe dream, I am well aware. I only remain transfixed because I fear for my children and feel a need to see this through. It's almost like being at a deathbed vigil. But a vigil for society. One in which I desperately need it not to die. But deep down, suspect it might. Or at least, the bits that I care most about.
Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" comes painfully to mind. The beast certainly seems to be slouching home.
agree Ann,
I too am painfully aware of the damage my smart phone has done and is doing to me.
I’ve deleted all SM except Substack and YT.
even so, it continues to be a problem.
I’m currently trying to find a flip phone with a good keyboard and GPS for work. no luck so far.
unfortunately, I think the accountability for the criminal Covid measures we endured will never occur. the ones who perpetrated the crime are also the ones in charge...
We were out of town for 2.5 months and just returned to a drained car battery. I blame Trumpers, White Supremacy, Elon and Kanye, Unequal outcomes, the Patriarchy (you left that one off), Transphobic Bigots, and of course the failure of our car battery to wear a mask while we were gone.
Brilliant comment - I upvoted.
I couldn't agree with you more.
Plenty of perma-maskers out there. Have restaurants, theaters, stadiums, etc. established masking and non masking seating areas like the old smoking ones? Maybe amusement parks can have "you must have had 6 covid shots to ride this ride " rules?
I think the lady who wants to live in a covid extreme community should do so. Solves a problem for the rest of us
A good piece, thank you.
I have been fascinated by a young woman at work - a lovely person - who is still wearing her mask. This is three years down the line! After South Africa ditched them yonks ago. She is devoted to it, on account of her grandparents, with whom she lives. She has bought the lie - such a clever bit of deceit with it's "abundance of caution". Just enough of a caveat to make it not quite a lie. And she is no ignoramus, moreover! A doctorate in a science discipline which should have given her ample opportunity to unpick the facts. The covid behemoth has hijacked this lovely young person's reasoning faculties and forced her to live a ridiculously face-hidden, constrained life for three years!
I am reminded of the use of nosegays in the times of plague. At least they had some utility in that they masked smells! Nor were they used to virtue signal. This piece I paste below is ironic in that it rightly points out that people made a false correlation saying bad smells cause diseases - and yet still manages to inject a little bit of Covid "panic" in her opening paragraph! The world is still stumbling around in the middle ages....
https://nationalmuseumpublications.co.za/the-victorian-tussie-mussie-from-warding-off-the-plague-to-declaring-your-undying-love/#:~:text=Small%20bouquets%2C%20either%20hand%2D%20held,flower%20bundles%20were%20called%20nosegays.
This is my favorite example of "abundance of caution" (starting at 0:51):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka7hSZhgplk
Brilliant.
The global response to Covid-19 has been the biggest mistake/calamity since the destruction of European civilization in 1914.
Agreed.
It is a real thing that we need to be talking about again now that we are “allowed” to.
Nice writeup. I believe, however, Mattias discourages use of the word 'psychosis', preferring just 'mass formation'.
Interesting, didn't know that!
The most impressive case post-Nazi Germany was the People's Temple in Guyana in the late 1970s.
Your first condition is GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-generalized-anxiety-disorder-1393147.
This was extremely interesting and bang on.
A bit over the top.