Computers. The final frontier of human endeavour. The culmination of humankind’s pioneering spirit encapsulated in a plastic receptacle crammed full of wires, electrical components and printed circuit boards.
They are transformational, providing the human race with a tool to unravel some of the most perplexing scientific conundrums; to answer unfathomably complex questions at speeds far in excess of the human brain. Computers are revolutionary, a game changer, a vehicle for real evolutionary change.
In our hands, we have at our disposal the single most powerful tool in human history, with which we are able to truly change mankind. To solve the most challenging complexities of the modern world; electrification, climate change, viral vaccines, all manner of problems for which it is imperative we find a solution lest we all languish in a fiery quagmire of our own selfishness. There can be nothing more pressing, more salient, more worthy of our time than our very survival. Of that there can be no dispute. And so, as a species, individually and collectively, we spend our time immersing ourselves in a frenetic whirl, our eyes affixed to a screen, attempting to make our existence on this wildly spinning orb the very best it can be.
And we have truly harnessed this electronic gift, this vehicle for salvation. We have partly diluted our real-world experience, subscribing to a plastic virtual utopia with its algorithms and user interfaces, its alternative realities and its artificial intellect. We have embraced what we have created and have put it to its most optimum use. Through the power of prolific, seemingly never-ending social media content and porn, we are changing the world, one cat meme, one generously shaped tit at a time. And no matter how much we consume, like us it just keeps coming.
Every day the volume of online content is expanding exponentially somewhat akin to charity shops on a depressed high street, its audience mercilessly drawn to it like a blind man at a talking book sale. It never ends. And the banality of what we’re willing to invite into our consciousness constantly edges towards the lower boundary of our intellect. Spend just a few misguided seconds for instance, looking at an inane inspirational quote and be assured that you will be fed inspirational quotes for at least a month. Admire a well shaped pair of women’s legs for no more than thirty seconds on Instagram and you may never again be able to open your Instagram app in public (lest you may end up like Neil Parish). Such is the power of the algorithm.
So where does that leave the kids? We hope that our children progress through life and achieve at least something slightly greater than ourselves. And are they? Of course they are...they are creating contrived, poorly acted, am-dram-esque video shorts depicting overblown chivalry, unamusing outcomes of misheard statements and unfunny pranks. The adults fare slightly worse. Women are flaunting themselves to such an extent that they are casually undoing fifty years of carefully cultured, and deserved parity with men, for likes. Men are creating ‘amusing’ video pranks at their apparent partners’ expense accompanied by a soundtrack of screams and frenzied cackling, thus (and deservedly) nullifying any gender advantage they may once have had. It does my head in. Couple all that with a gazillion photos of sunsets and other peoples’ lunch and we have an online shit-show of epic proportions. I had my hair cut today, look! Who gives a fuck dickhead.
This new world and associated mindset spells the end of mastery. Beethoven has been replaced by the musical equivalent of Speak and Spell and the new Rembrandt is a 7 year old with a crayon and felt pen. For the Mona Lisa to be recognised today she’d need a ‘collab’, a branded low-cut top and a massive rack. Yes, there is content that bucks this trend and showcases human brilliance, but it is outweighed by, and mixed in with a plethora of vapid junk. Humankind is doomed. I would insert a poignant, prophetic quote here from a notable figure from the past but I’m worried that it’s already out there as a meme.
To surmise then, every day there is more and more content and we waste more and more time consuming it. It’s a veritable minefield and for those of us who create content it makes you wonder...what’s the point? In order to create some balance, there are obviously a great number of positives to be taken from all this online stuff but, you know, highlighting virtues is for lefties and influencers, and being of a certain age precludes me from being either (although I’m happy to say I’m not a right-wing chumwit either). Anyway, all that’s left for me to say is that I thank you for reading my additional contribution to this content creation mindless fucking merry-go-round. I’m off to waste two hours on Instagram.
