Our Lives Have Gone Digital, Bro!

30 July 2015, Thursday

WE’RE RAPIDLY DIGITIZING

It’s not just about social media anymore. Brands everywhere are doubling down on digital. From digital furniture to electric cars and navigation systems, the digital wave has taken over. Screens are now ubiquitous. Just the other day on Istiklal Street in Beyoğlu, I noticed store displays replaced by multi-screen TV units.

OUR LIVES HAVE GONE DIGITAL

I don’t know about you, but I often compare smartphones to lightsabers. People either defend themselves with them or make a move, sending something to someone. It’s like how cowboys used to carry guns; today, our phones fill that role. These devices hold the answers to nearly every question we have, instantly available at our fingertips. When used wisely, they’re amazing tools.

Communication tools seem to have been most affected by this shift. Often, people don’t realize how impactful their messages are. A single WhatsApp text or a tweet can ripple through relationships. Just months ago, I read about how many couples have divorced because of Facebook.

In a way, our social lives have gone digital. Sure, we haven’t figured out teleportation, but with instant messages, we might as well have. I think our love for this instant reach stems from a deep-seated desire for freedom.

However, I also feel like we’ve plunged into a kind of digital loneliness. We share our thoughts without face-to-face interaction, replacing conversations with endless messages that often end with, “We still haven’t caught up, huh?”

CONVENIENCE HAS ALTERED TRADITIONAL LIFE

We’ve become so comfortable that we notify everyone about our lives, wherever we are. If we’re out, it’s Foursquare. Spot something photo-worthy? Facebook. Want to micro-blog? Twitter or Tumblr is the go-to. This convenience has brought major changes to social norms, particularly in gender dynamics, removing boundaries and creating an open platform for communication. I even know people who post updates from the bathroom.

This digital ease has also transformed shopping habits, allowing us to order anything from the comfort of our homes. Whether it’s movies, music, or information, everything is now just a few clicks away.

WHAT HAVE WE LOST?

The awe of human effort has been diluted by digital convenience. People chase “likes” for validation, and their real goals fade into the background. I know folks who spend hours trying to make their social media photos “perfect.” With everything at our fingertips, it feels like our sense of purpose is being eroded. Worse, people have started measuring their worth by follower counts or the number of likes they get.

TECHNOLOGY IS GOOD, BUT…

Of course, technology is good. But if we don’t learn to consume it consciously and moderately, we risk becoming slaves to it. Believing we’re “living” through a flurry of words, videos, and endless photos could lead to an empty, wasted life.

MY HABITAT IS THE MOUNTAINS!

What will happen next? Eventually, people will realize they need to control this digital life instead of being controlled by it. When we start using technology as a tool rather than a purpose, we’ll rediscover the beauty of nature, the joy of creating, and the importance of simplicity. We’ll remember that humans come from the earth and return to it—not the digital realm.

And when that realization hits, people will escape… to the mountains.

(I’ve seen a few who’ve already done it—so I know it’s possible!)

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