“We have shortened the distance between desire and its fulfillment to one click”
We have a problem disconnecting from the internet and finding a balance between online life and real life. – The whole happy narrative of social media, search engines about building community, helping to develop potential and sharing information from all over the world burst like a soap bubble – says Anna Turner, a doctor of social sciences from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in an interview with tvn24.pl.
It starts with the fact that even before children learn to read, they have no problem turning on a cartoon on a smartphone or tablet. Later, they can no longer disconnect from the Internet. Studies show that constant presence on the Internet and the prospect of being there always arouse greater anxiety in young people.
And what does the adult world look like? I hear from Anna Turner, a doctor of social sciences from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, that we feel pressure from family and friends to be available, in constant contact. It is increasingly difficult for us to accept a situation in which we do not know what someone is doing, or we do not know what is happening to someone. Especially when it comes to loved ones. The worst thoughts come to mind when someone who always answers the phone suddenly disappears for a few hours.
Or disappears altogether. I don't want to use my smartphone, listen to voices, pay with “blik” and “heart” subsequent notifications.
Joanna Rubin-Sobolewska, tvn24.pl: Is it possible to disappear for longer these days?
Dr. Anna Turner: Those who try to do this are realists and realize that life outside the network and the eye of surveillance is not sustainable in the long term. So we are not talking about complete disappearance from the field of view, but rather about conscious, controlled and limited use of new technologies and solutions.
How to make it disappear?
Without preparation, you won't succeed. You have to get rid of your phone and devices with internet access, stock up on cash, food, and medicine. You also have to warn your loved ones, because they will start looking for you. However, in the long term, without a “connector” – a person who will be in touch with you, who will handle certain matters, including online, functioning is practically impossible.
Australia's 'disconnection' law comes into effectJustyna Kazimierczak/Facts about the World TVN24 BiS
Even if we cut ourselves off from the phone and the internet – where we leave many digital traces – our image can be recorded precisely when we think we are invisible, because more and more public and private spaces are covered by a system of cameras. The possibilities of paying with cash are limited. If we do not want to leave a trace in the form of card payments, we may encounter problems not only with paying for purchases, because sellers often do not have to give change, but also with buying a bus ticket or paying for parking. More and more devices do not support cash payments at all.
How do criminals on the run cope?
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