black mirror
Not by anyone’s stretch of imagination could I be classed as a box-set binge-watcher although I have to admit Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror almost lured me to the dark-side. Named after the ubiquitous device screen, Brooker and his co-writers, have produced a series of deeply disturbing satirical programmes that envisage a dystopian view of the none-too distant future. Its success lies in its ability to highlight the potential downsides of the technology we are using, the attitudes that are prevailing and the politics that are taking hold, today. Needless to say, social media, in all its guises, runs through many/most of the episodes and is undeniably the communication platform of choice. If you’re a fan then reference the filming/spectator-public of ‘White Bear’, the rise of ‘Waldo’ the abusive blue animated politician and instant memory recall of the protagonists within ‘The Entire History of You’. Not to mention the vainglorious attention seeking of ‘Nosedive’. All barbs and points.
So, it’ll come as no surprise that everyone is complaining about the interruptions and distraction to their lives orchestrated by modern tech. And whilst everyone’s complaining about it, everyone’s being distracted and interrupted by it: how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Spend your workday aimlessly monitoring your Twitter feeds and Facebook profile and I bet a pound to a penny you do the same thing each evening and every weekend. Sound familiar?
To break the cycle first we must purge our own black mirrors and delete those rarely used and thoroughly unloved apps and then turn-off the damned notifications. Users fret about the constant distraction yet choose to be interrupted by a beep, a buzz and a dopamine hit of recognition whenever someone, or something, decides it’s alright to do so. To tolerate such intrusions is allowing those who have precious little interest in the best use or allocation of our time to do exactly that: they want an answer to their email and they want it now, or the ignored app demands more immediate engagement. The tail is wagging the dog.
Yes, of course we need to be connected, but not all of the time and we need to decide when and how. You’re not on an ASBO ankle-tag. Furthermore, if you’re an individual who secretly welcomes the ping & bleep as it makes you look busy and feel important you need to ask the big question of whether you’re using your life to full and good effect. Me? I’m living the Black Mirror dream but the fact that the first episode screened in 2011 and I’ve only just discovered it, that I limit myself to one episode per sitting, once a week and only switch it on when the big-hand reaches twelve, is evidence of my ever-luddite behaviour!
