Weapons of Mass Distraction III
The television was the first weapon of mass distraction that used the same stimuli to pull the attention of hordes of people in the same direction at the same time. When TV was new, "the box" was feared and criticized for its hypnotic power. The internet is far more alluring.
The smart phone is potentially addictive too. Beside us at every hour of the day, it serves as our alarm clock when we wake, and stays by our bedside table as we sleep, ready at any moment to flash, vibrate, or play the sound of church bells.
These dramatic technological revolutions have altered society and our brains in profound ways. Yet, immersed in the current "normal," we mostly remain unconscious of this influence.
Not very long ago, eating at a restaurant used to mean quiet conversation and dinner music. Meeting friends for a meal yesterday, I was could hear loud music pounding through outside speakers as I approached the cafe. Beneath the flashing TV screens inside, we huddled close in a booth, barely able to hear each other.
"Why must we be constantly entertained?" remarked a woman I met while waiting to board the ferry from Yarmouth to Bar Harbour. She suggested we sit at the front of the boat to avoid being in the line of vision and noise from the huge TV screens flashing a constant CNN feed. Thanks to her welcome advice, we enjoyed the crossing with a peaceful sea view and no TV. Now the CAT is no longer running. Too noisy maybe?
As yet, we don't definitively know how the constant barrage of light and colour affects our brains, or our minds. We do know that unlike a computer, the human brain does need some quiet time. At least mine does.