A sad comment from Alison on yesterday's post, and a most interesting link from Julia (see here) got me thinking of the ways in which we are all stalked and harassed in the modern world. Our every move can literally be followed if we use a mobile phone, all the purchases we make are recorded, CCTV cameras abound, headlines and news bulletins and musak are the permanent background to many lives 24/7, TV's can monitor our conversations in our own homes and the camera on your laptop can be controlled by someone else unknown to you. Advertisements plaster every surface and pop up on your screen unbidden while you are in the middle of doing something else.
(The irony is that we have voluntarily signed up for this. Not so much Big Brother Is Watching You, more You Are Watching Big Brother...)
Isn't it crazy?
And we wonder why anxiety and mental health problems are on the increase?
And what is it doing to our children?
Filtering and editing what comes at us is a skill we surely must cultivate if we are to stay sane and healthy, and independent.
In practice I think that means switching off, disconnecting, unsubscribing, slowing down, and finding, and learning to love and cherish, silence and empty space for at least some of our precious time.
Taking the time to think our own thoughts.
Taking the time to live our own lives.
It's a choice we can make.
What do you think?
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