What I specifically want to talk about in this post, is modern society’s addiction to social media. It’s probably a bit rich coming from someone who is ‘putting it out there’ and indulging in psychological navel gazing, but ‘in real life’ I don’t consider myself married to my devices and I am doing this, for the time being, as a sort of mental therapy. This topic is a bit of dark theme.
Without sounding Orwellian, I think we have all become ‘plugged in’ to this media machine, bombarded with so much information and subliminal messaging, perish the idea that you may have any time or inclination for independent thought. Before you know it, you are opinionated about stuff you don’t understand, and ready to walk out of work or school to demand government action. Follow whoever is loudest. Ignore the small print that explains the real, much more complex issues (and might actually demand different action): it’s long since submerged into oblivion. Sure enough nearly everyone, probably me as well, is swept along this urgent, gushing surge resulting in damaging changes to policy, funding and general societal opinion. But is it uncontrollable? Is it really just the result of a few random ripples, or is someone busy cultivating the momentum? Whatever it is, your elected government is already drip feeding the next surge to your children at school via the national curriculum. We have to stop tolerating this.
The problem is, unless you can educate yourself in all matters, what sources can you trust? Doesn’t everyone have an agenda? Can anyone not be ‘bought’? Or, more sinisterly, ‘silenced’? It really brings home the importance of education and nurturing critical thinking.
I’m not proud of today’s sketch. It’s probably a reflection of my mood as well. The surge starts, powerful, momentous, dragging along everything beneath it. Momentum peaks mid-wave, but too late, a crest inevitably forms and suddenly you are over the crest, devoid of energy, left with the consequences.
meandertect 