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ADDICTION

It’s wild to observe the ways in which I calm myself in the midst of turmoil. A new, little thing here, a numb, mindless scroll there. I am aware of it but don’t want to give it up…it’s not really that bad, I’ll stop tomorrow, I won’t buy anything frivolous after Christmas, I’ll delete Instagram soon.

As images of the Presidential inauguration swirled over the past week, I was struck by one I kept seeing of several tech bros and their wives/fiancés in the front row laughing and patting themselves on the back for having helped create a world in which they now found themselves princes. And I could not help thinking, how did this happen? None of these people have anything we actually need and yet we blindly hand them our time, energy, attention, and wallets and in turn they have an absurd amount of power over our lives. They don’t sell clean water, air, food, or shelter and yet because way back when they offered us connection, back before we alienated ourselves by forgetting what actual connection meant, we now find ourselves addicted to their version of the word.

I just deleted the Instagram app and it was difficult. I haven’t used Facebook for years, was never on Twitter or TikTok and haven’t had to go through withdrawal from an active addiction since trying to kick sugar a few years ago (that lasted two months). There is a jittery quality to not getting my harmless, what’s the big deal, it’s just one little scroll fix a few times each hour. I genuinely like the people and companies I follow, but I also get a bazillion ads for things I don’t need and seem to have little control to click away from or keep from buying; a little thing here, a little thing there. Ending my Amazon Prime membership and deleting that app was something I’ve meant to do for a while and just hadn’t out of laziness. That was easier.

Looking at that photo all I could think was that if overnight we all got rid of the products that one row of men created, went through the withdrawal of losing fake connection and ease of overnight delivery, life would continue on just as before, then likely get better, and no one would know how to explain what had just happened, like waking from a fever dream.

I may end up back on Instagram at some point but for now I am acutely aware of how little time, energy, and attention I actually have and I want to use it to create things that feed me, to build real connection, and to do everything in my power to take back the power we have allowed these broligarchs to have over our lives and country.

2 responses to “ADDICTION”

  1. bootsmaloney

    Hi Claire,

    I tried to write a response on WordPress but it deleted so I thought I would respond via email.

    It is self evident that the need for connection and communication with like minded people is palpable, and ultimately controllable. The desire to be seen, heard, known and witnessed is a human bonding and social construct driven into us by the oligarchy culture from youth. The tech Bros have admitted openly they are aware of this desire and created algorithms to manipulate our society into believing it’s harmless. Access to who and what we are on a level unlike any other. Mixed with weaponized laws formed to “protect “ us. From who? I was friends with a man who worked for the government. He was a physicist. He showed me how laws are placed to protect them from us, not the other way around. It’s a war of narratives and beliefs.

    TikTok evolved into a platform where educated and curious people were collaborating and organizing evolutionary communities and affecting real change, that is why the plug was pulled. It was Bridging societal gaps and hierarchy. It was empowering us on a level social media had never gone before, and that was the problem. 170 million American users who were supporting each other’s small businesses and having important conversations with people who had boots on the ground, before conventional media could scrub and twist it. They were losing control of the narratives.

    The idea these people are in power over our supply chains and health services, housing markets and very culture of advanced human education and outreach is beyond heart wrenching.

    I suppose the silver lining is, we’re in touch with our feelings about it, and it’s so obvious, that the gaslighting isn’t as effective for some.

    To “unplug” from what we’ve adopted as the closest mechanism we’ve had to fight fascism is why we can’t have nice things.

    Blockchain technology had the potential to put trade back into the hands of the people. So did the TikTok algorithm. It was illegal until it could be controlled by the fuckheads who push rape culture and whiteness.

    Advancements in technology is the new war. Ultimate control over global outcomes.

    Anyway, I hope you are well. Cheers.

    Aura

    Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef

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  2. bootsmaloney

    I am also well aware when I open my mouth to say anything I can be met with judgement about my sanity or credibility as I am a 49 year old chubby white film seamstress who lives alone and has been met with tremendous undue hardships. It’s a long fought battle to be taken seriously or even heard at all.

    Truth is truth.

    We filter and build our realities based on what is within our control and experience no?

    I have spent the last year off work, traveling the world and healing from 32 years of trauma in arts and entertainment. Asking myself the big question, “ what am I if not the expectations of others?” Without my titles and projections.

    It’s been excruciating. An unimaginable untangling of limited perspectives, half truths and foundations based on pure hypothesis.

    I could not heal in that environment.

    Anyway, it’s been interesting to dive into my core. I get to experiment in the world now with a different set of approaches and observe reactions on a new level.

    Starting over is hard. It’s been a long battle to recover from abuse and survive in the wilds of New Mexico film culture alone….

    A mix of gratitude and disappointment. The pain from attachments and ideals.

    Before I sail into the sunset I want to say thank you Claire. You were always someone I wish I’d known better and could never understand why we didn’t.

    I wish you well, health, abundance and successful manifestation.

    Aura

    Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef

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