Striving for Disillusionment
Disillusionment | ˌdisəˈlōōZHənmənt |
noun
A feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.
This is where we are:
- The chatbots are liars
- The pictures are fakes
- The influencers are purveyors of claptrap
But that’s the point. The illusion is the point. No one cares what’s behind the curtain. We go along prompting the void, using pocket computers to produce simulacra of simulacra, clicking hearts, arrows, upvotes, boosts, reposts... ad nauseam.
I hate it. Pulling back the curtain isn’t even worth it anymore; it only reveals another curtain. I want to ignore the damned curtains. I want to be dis-illusioned. I want to slow down, explore, add friction, giving me the time to experience, learn, grow. It’s a goal we should all aspire to.
Slow Down, Explore, Add Friction
- Write, on paper, with a pen or pencil (and never erase)
- Read a book, a real book, one with stories and wonder and meaning
- Use a camera, learn the manual controls
- Paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, make a flower pot
- Walk in the woods, downtown, through an abandoned park
- Talk to experts, craftspeople, historians, scientists... just for "fun"
This may seem simple and trite, but for me it really is how I want to be. I’ve deleted most social media, I’ve never used AI and never will, I write, I read, I take pictures with a camera, I question... but mostly I don’t hunt for the illusions anymore.
RLR