There is so much talk these days about digital detox, the practice of removing oneself from the ensnarement of technology for pre-determined periods of time.
This morning, I read in the book “Focused Manifesting: 11 Laws of Manifestation to Master Your Mind and Attention “ by Ryuu Shinohara about an alternative concept he coined called “digital alignment.”
In an excerpt from the book, he writes:
“Our lives are immersed in technology, and we’ve become so dependent on it that to dream of a life without technology is folly. It’s only going to become more prevalent in our lives. This means that instead of trying to distance yourself from it, digital alignment would be more effective. Digital alignment means redefining the purpose of your technology. If you don’t give the technology you use a purpose, it will give you one.”
I am curious about your thoughts regarding this distinction between “digital detox” and “digital alignment.”
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
Yes, Mark. The legacy history behind technology should never be discounted amid our efforts to stay grounded and aligned in today’s rapidly evolving digital world.
Thanks for this. Our lives have always been dependent on technology. Examples are automobiles, telephones, electricity, and vaccines and other medical technologies. We have successfully aligned ourselves with these technologies, using them for beneficial purposes. We can and should do so with newly-developed technologies like AI and synthetic biology.
I have always framed this using the "tool or toy" model. Are you using it in a beneficial way or as a distraction? There is a place for detox and alignment, but long-term alignment must be the goal. It is nice to try to spend a day or two completely device-free, but I think the most successful people of the current generation will be the ones who are best able to find this digital alignment.
It is so easy to fall into a symbiotic relationship with technology, where we push our daily highlights through it into the world and then rely on it to keep us on the dopamine treadmill. I see this as a frightening new addiction for our young to struggle with, and it does not help that multinational corporations have entire departments focused on designing the algorithms to keep those kids glued to their phones.
Yes, Mark. The legacy history behind technology should never be discounted amid our efforts to stay grounded and aligned in today’s rapidly evolving digital world.
Thanks for this. Our lives have always been dependent on technology. Examples are automobiles, telephones, electricity, and vaccines and other medical technologies. We have successfully aligned ourselves with these technologies, using them for beneficial purposes. We can and should do so with newly-developed technologies like AI and synthetic biology.
I have always framed this using the "tool or toy" model. Are you using it in a beneficial way or as a distraction? There is a place for detox and alignment, but long-term alignment must be the goal. It is nice to try to spend a day or two completely device-free, but I think the most successful people of the current generation will be the ones who are best able to find this digital alignment.
It is so easy to fall into a symbiotic relationship with technology, where we push our daily highlights through it into the world and then rely on it to keep us on the dopamine treadmill. I see this as a frightening new addiction for our young to struggle with, and it does not help that multinational corporations have entire departments focused on designing the algorithms to keep those kids glued to their phones.
Love this perspective Steve, particularly your point about long-term alignment.