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The Tech Industry Broke Every Promise it Made Us
Where is the connected, informed, egalitarian society we were sold?
Every night, I fall asleep to white noise — synthetic static filtered through my iPhone speakers. I started using the app years ago to drown out my partner’s snores. Now the stillness, the emptiness of silence keeps me awake.
I’m careful not to check my email or my social media apps, because I’ve learned I must be careful about these things. I confirm my alarm is set. It’s set for every weekday, but still, I check to confirm.
I’ve never entirely trusted technology.
I tuck my book into my nightstand. Yes, it’s a real book made from the pulp of trees. It is heavy in my hands and requires no battery power. Its 400 some-odd pages follow a single narrative arc. Every subplot has context. There are no pictures, no advertisements, no memes. When I put it down, I feel I’ve made progress toward an inevitable climax, a conclusion. I feel curious, satisfied, and sleepy.
I know that in certain corners of my phone, there are people screaming at each other, sometimes in all caps, often employing questionable grammar. There are people spiraling into rabbit holes, which at least have continual threads, even if they’re not rooted in reality.
