Technological Suffering
And the path out
3/15/2021 | Mozilla Festival
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Technological Suffering
Genesis of this presentation: explorations in the world of human behavior
About me, Maria Bridge
Technological Suffering
There are some aspects of our digital world, our relationships with devices, and how we relate to one another digitally that are contributing to individual and societal suffering.
That suffering can start small.
But left unchecked, unexplored, unmanaged, this suffering will perpetuate and increase.
“Technology”
Devices
Phones, tablets, laptops, etc. where we spend significant time & attention
The Digital World
A simplified definition of “suffering”
Any mental experience of stress, anxiety, fear, confusion, grief, anger, hurt, frustration
While suffering has always existed, technology today creates conditions that have the power to amplify suffering.
Hang tight, isn’t “technology” also beneficial?
While the benefits of technology are undeniable, so are the dangers. The aim isn't to destroy technology, but to make sure that we're using technology wisely.
Photo by Joshua Reddekopp on Unsplash
Where does suffering originate?
Perceptual distortions
Difficult conditions
Suffering
(big and small)
+
=
@mariabridge
Our interactions with technology can add fuel to the fire
Perceptual distortions
Difficult conditions
Amplified Suffering
Tech Multiplier
+
=
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(
@mariabridge
Big Buckets of Technological Suffering
Safety & Security
Genocide, Hate Crimes, Disease / (e.g. COVID-19), Unemployment, Disiscrimination
Mental Health
Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, Suicide
Societal &
Political Health
Destabilization of democracies, lack of civil discourse, distrust in institutions, distrust in vaccines
@mariabridge
Stepping Stones to Big Technological Suffering
Comparisons, “selfing” pretending
Safety & Security
Genocide, Hate Crimes, Human Trafficking, Disease / (e.g. COVID-19), Unemployment, Disiscrimination
Mental Health
Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, Suicide
Societal &
Political Health
Destabilization of democracies, lack of civil discourse, distrust in institutions, distrust in vaccines
Fake news, deep fakes, conspiracy theories
Unhealthy media consumption behaviors & habits
Bias, polarization
FOMO, social pressure to be online
Bullying, outrage, hate speech, discrimination
Lack of control, loss of privacy
@mariabridge
At the center of it all, is a toxic relationship between basic human struggles, magnified by technology
Unhealthy media consumption behaviors & habits
Fake news, deep fakes, conspiracy theories
Tech:
Design / features / algorithms / AI of our devices and digital worlds
Comparisons, “selfing” pretending
Safety & Security
Genocide, Hate Crimes, Human Trafficking, Disease / (e.g. COVID-19), Unemployment, Disiscrimination
Mental Health
Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, Suicide
Societal &
Political Health
Destabilization of democracies, lack of civil discourse, distrust in institutions, distrust in vaccines
Bias, polarization
Human:
Reduced attention / awareness
Perceptual distortions, confusion
Unskillful responses to own suffering
FOMO, social pressure to be online
Bullying, outrage, hate speech, discrimination
Lack of control, loss of privacy
X
@mariabridge
Both the human and the technological sides matter
Humans create technology (and the technology that creates technology)
Technology influences our human experiences, online & offline
Tech:
Design / features / algorithms / AI of our devices and digital worlds
Human:
Reduced attention / awareness
Perceptual distortions, confusion
Unskillful responses to own suffering
X
We’ll focus here onwards on the human side
@mariabridge
Exploring the
Human Condition
Each rectangle represents 10 years
@mariabridge
All 4 phases of the industrial revolution are relatively recent
Image: https://ross-sivertsen.com/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-where-are-you-going-with-this/
Our human wiring is not built for our current environments
12,000 years ago, agricultural revolution
Us today
70,000 years ago, roughly beginning of language and socialization
@mariabridge
Industry is just one way to measure change over the past 250 years
Image: mage:https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2018/11/8/18052076/human-history-in-one-chart-industrial-revolution
Life today is very different — Social dimensions
250+ years ago | Within the last 30, 15, 5, 2, years |
Interactions are in person, <150 ppl, small communities, tribes | Interactions are mix of in-person and digital, with increasing skew towards digital. Outside of “tribe”, thousands of people |
Reputation and identity formed slowly, validated by group w/ close ties | Reputation can be destroyed quickly, and also created relatively quickly. Possible to have many reputations, many identities. |
Survival dependent on social ties and approval | Survival not as concretely dependent on social ties (if I get shunned from the group, unlikely I will go hungry for that reason) |
Social value primarily measured by skills benefitting tribe / community (hypothesis) | Social value may be measured by status, money, fame, etc. Possible to have different social value metrics by group. |
Social
@mariabridge
Life today is very different — Perceptual dimensions
250+ years ago | Within the last 30, 15, 5, 2, years |
Limited range of geographic mobility, leading to different spatial perceptions (hypothesis) | Worldwide geographic mobility possible; internet transcends geography, space |
Temporal perception different (hypothesis) - communication generally verbal, not written | Internet creates new perception of time (asynchronous), communication often written, and in new forms (texts, tweets, memes) |
Relationship to visual and auditory representations different (hypothesis); Visual representations (art / photos) absent or rare, audio representations (recordings) absent or novel | Can “capture” visuals and adjust almost instantly. Spend significant portion -- sometimes majority -- of day interacting with representations |
Fewer external sensory distractions | Greater sensory distractions |
Fewer tasks, likely longer attention spans | Shortening attention spans |
Perceptual
@mariabridge
Our current wiring is largely the same as 200K years ago
While our brains are malleable to a degree (neuroplasticity), our deeper evolutionary adaptations evolved over millions of years.
Wiring developed in a vastly different context than the past 30 years, not to mention past 250 - 500 years
Brain image: https://optimizeme.nl/en/blog/2017/06/11/how-your-three-brains-want-three-different-things/
@mariabridge
Suffering equation
Perceptual distortions
Difficult conditions
Suffering
(big and small)
+
=
Reconditions the mind further
Reconditions the mind further
@mariabridge
PRESENT MOMENT’S EXPERIENCE/STIMULUS (internal or external)
UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSING
Human Nature e.g., Reptilian + Mammalian + Primate “Goals”
Current Mind State (emotions, mood, etc.)
Comparison to Past Experiences (concepts, personal history, etc.)
UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION
CONSCIOUS INTENTION
(veto power over UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION)
ACTION
Awareness
@mariabridge
Our present moment experiences (thoughts, senses, and actions) condition our future
Have you ever had the experience where you learned something new and it changed how you perceived the world?
E.g., you research plants to start a garden, and suddenly “bushes” transform into ornamental grasses, holly, boxwood, honeysuckle, and rhododendron?
You input changed your attention and perception.
Photo: https://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-sidewalk2006may18-story.html
Wooly thyme
Ornamental grass
Geranium
Salvia
This is nice when it’s all geraniums and wooly thyme, but what about when it’s more problematic?
Seeing fake headlines reconditions our future perceptions
Comparing ourselves to curated distortions of other people, distorts our sense of self
Encountering hate speech reconditions our sense of what healthy discourse is
What we consume technologically conditions our future.
What we share & create technologically conditions others’ futures.
What we share & create technologically conditions others’ futures.
@mariabridge
When our awareness shrinks, it’s more likely the unconscious intentions take over
PRESENT MOMENT’S EXPERIENCE/STIMULUS (internal or external)
UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSING
Human Nature e.g., Reptilian + Mammalian + Primate “Goals”
Current Mind State (emotions, mood, etc.)
Comparison to Past Experiences (concepts, personal history, etc.)
UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION
CONSCIOUS INTENTION
(veto power over UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION)
ACTION
Awareness
@mariabridge
Our interactions with technology can add fuel to the fire
Perceptual distortions
Difficult conditions
Amplified Suffering
For ourselves and our society
Tech Multiplier
+
=
)*
(
@mariabridge
The Path Out
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Center for Humane Technology (humanetech.com)
TECHNOLOGICAL TRUTHS
PRESENT MOMENT’S EXPERIENCE/STIMULUS (internal or external)
UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSING
Human Nature e.g., Reptilian + Mammalian + Primate “Goals”
Current Mind State (emotions, mood, etc.)
Comparison to Past Experiences (concepts, personal history, etc.)
UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION
CONSCIOUS INTENTION
(veto power over UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION otherwise it is UNCONSCIOUS INTENTION)
ACTION
Awareness
@mariabridge
Greater compassionate awareness supports skillful actions and behavior change
Do this many times in many moments to change mindsets, change behaviors, change habits
A well-tested method for building greater present-moment, compassionate awareness capacity
Inevitably impacts everyone we encounter
Meditation
Practice time in more favorable conditions for cultivating mindfulness in less ideal conditions
Mindfulness
- Brings awareness to the present
- Receptive, non-judging
- Able to observe conditioning
Reconditions how the mind works and perceives the world
Leads to more skillful action in our lives, which interconnect with others’
@mariabridge
Learn mindfulness
SELF-LED, VIA APPS
- Easy, available
- More difficult to make a habit
TEACHER-LED SMALL GROUPS
- Better for habit building
- Harder to find
- Teachers hit or miss
RETREATS ((VIRTUAL OR IRL)
- More intensive format
- Cost $ typically
- Tend to be non-secular
Center for Humane Technology (humanetech.com)
DOCUMENTARY
Released Sept 2020, Free on Netflix
Insiders from Google, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube reveal how these platforms are reprogramming civilization by exposing what's hiding on the other side of your screen.
TIPS & TOOLS
Steps to increase wellbeing, and take control of tech
VIRTUAL MEETUPS
Panels with small group discussions afterwards, free to attend.
Together we can recondition the future for non-harm and well-being.
Individual sphere of influence
Societal sphere of influence
@mariabridge
Thanks!
Observations? Comments? Suggestions? Let’s connect!
With gratitude
With gratitude to Alex Sarkissian and Reuben Weiss who contributed their wisdom and time.
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