The resurrection of The Death of Conversation and the rise of the Deadly Network:
I posted my original ‘Death of Conversation’ photo series (link) around 5 years ago, when smartphone usage had appeared to have reached its peak but it has massively increased even since then. They have become so dominant in our lives it is now difficult to imagine life before them. Did people actually used to speak to each other? Was eye contact ever a thing? Could you walk down the street and not walk into people who are glued to their screens? What did couples do when they didn’t want to communicate with each other? How did anyone cope without notifications telling them someone they don’t really know had thought of them for a fleeting nanosecond?
Technology has infiltrated our lives to such an extent, it is now feels like it is our digital existence which is being interrupted by our reality rather than the other way round. We are now all living in fully immersive online bubbles which are only occasionally penetrated by the world we actually live in. There is not a single aspect of your life which cannot be delivered by your device. And you can physically see our dependance to them as everyone clings onto their phones like they are an external organ, attached by an invisible umbilical cord. And in the relatively short time I have had one it has become very evident to me that the best thing and the worst thing about smartphones is they do everything.
Back in 2014 when I was documenting the rise of the smartphone I was mercilessly free from its invasive clutches and it gave me the perspective I needed to observe this modern phenomena. Sadly I had to succumb last year as I fucked up my ears at Carnival and couldn’t hear anyone on my stupid dumbphone so had to borrow Mrs. Romero’s old iphone which I only took as it had a speaker loud enough. And as feared it took over and I immediately found myself on it infinitely more than I wanted to be. I found it such an intrusion on my life I immediately tried to claw back control. I took off every app I could keeping only the basics they wouldn’t let me delete. I got a watch so I didn’t fall in the ‘rabbit hole’ for 15 mins every time I took it out to look at the time. I continued to use my notebook rather than switch to digi notes. I kept my diary on my wallplanner at home. I used my actual camera instead of the built-in one and did everything I could not to look at when ‘in motion’ and become yet another blind smombie walking down the road with no sensory awareness whatsoever. And although this all helped to reduce screen time I still found that it was in an out of my pocket like a friggin’ yoyo. And if I was with someone and they started using theirs, I got out mine and flicked through shit I didn’t really need to look at.
It was no surprise to learn recently that some of the original designers of smartphones confessed they had basically created ‘digital crack’ and deliberately so, on the behest of their employers, and they were now admitting there were a multitude of negative effects to the consumer as a result. Especially for kids who learn everything by observation who now never looked at anything but their devices. These Silicon valley tech pioneers are now so convinced of the detrimental effects of excessive usage they are sending their kids to digi-free analogue schools. As it is always there in your pocket it is now regarded as one of the most addictive drugs out there because you can access it whenever you like and as all good drug dealers know…don’t get high on your own supply.
Many of my original ‘death of conversation’ series and the ones this week focus as much on the person that is being ignored as the one glued to their device. It was this ‘rejection’ I was interested, as the person is knocked down the league table of importance despite actually being present. This is compensated by people withdrawing into their own devices and playing revenge rejection when the opportunity strikes. All the while our closest relationships suffer as they are superseded for something deemed more worthy of attention than them. And its also really fucking boring being with someone on one. It’s worse than being on your own as you are in this weird vacuum where neither the connection of face to face communication or the calm of solitude exist. And I think it was seeing themselves in these disenchanted faces which made the series connect with people all over the world who were experiencing the same thing.
Now, with the recent arrival of 5G, it may be more than just our relationships which are at risk. There is a ton of information out there showing that the gi-normous increase in intensified radiation waves will be pumped out by the 5g networks across every square inch of the country, are harmful, potentially dangerous and even lethal to humans and other living creatures. We already have massive amounts of radiation waves in our lives thru wifi, microwaves and smart meters (don’t get one!) and this new tech is being rolled out with no testing whatsoever. None! We are the guinea pigs and they simply don’t give a fuck what happens to us as long as they can shift units. If you want to know more you can start by watching this doc on youtube called: 5G Apocalypse – The Extinction Event. (Link) or you can read this appeal which is signed by scientists, doctors and environmentalists around the world : (link)
The risks and concerns are not being reported by the mainstream press at all, so you will need to do your own research on this but this is something that you absolutely want to know about and will affect us all. And just because they aren’t reporting it doesn’t mean to say it isn’t a real threat. They barely reported climate change in the last decade but turns out pretending it wasn’t happening didn’t stop it from happening..burying our heads in the sand is not a very effective solution, as we shall soon find out…
It is scary as fuck and even if you take into account potential areas for conspiracy fears and anti-tech paranoia, there is still a Everest size mountain of evidence showing this is definitely not a good thing. And furthermore, it is not something we need. Is it really necessary to be able to download a film in 20 seconds? Don’t we spend more time online than we should anyway? Aren’t we all trying to spend more time in the real world and with the people we care about rather than in our isolated digi existence? The reason they want us connected is simple. When are hooked in, we consume and we use their products. That is all they care about. If it fucks you up in the process, either physically or mentally, it is not a concern of theirs. As I said, they’re drug dealers. And when did they ever give a monkeys about the welfare of their clients? And our governments are clearly not going to protect us from this singular psychopathic pursuit of profit over people so we are on our own.
And not wishing to add to the burden of impending climate catastrophe we now all carry around on our shoulders, this is now something else we need to worry about. Maybe you regret even reading this but I always feel it is better to be informed than not. Your cognitive dissonance (definition) is no doubt kicking in now anyway and you will most likely switch off from thinking about this almost immediately as you can’t reconcile it and can’t deal with it. And so we go on..for now. But please read about it before you consider getting a 5g phone or join a 5g network and if you can keep away from your device and only look at it when you absolutely have to (which will, let’s be honest, will redux it down by about 75%) it might improve not only your health but also your life…your real one that is…remember that?