Are We Digitally Overwhelmed?
Are we overwhelmed by so much technology in our lives? Or are these feelings a sign of something more hopeful?
Bronwyn looked at her phone screen. 82 emails, 130 notifications from social media apps. Task reminders, texts. She flopped back into bed, pulling the covers over her head. It was only 7AM and even the wafting scent of the brewing coffee couldn’t entice her that morning.
Fear of missing out (FOMO), technostress, digital detox, digital escapism, connectivity overload, all terms society has created in just the past two decades or so. All signs and symptoms of a culture that is feeling overwhelmed by technology. Or perhaps it’s something else? Maybe it’s a good sign?
We are in a time of significant sociocultural change as we navigate living, working and playing in the digital and physical realms at the same time. How we process information, especially with the rise of answer engines and Generative AI (AI), our forming of relationships, identity construction and navigation of social spaces. These are all changing.
In part, this does strongly suggest being digitally overwhelmed. For some people this has caused depression, anxiety and other social disorders from these pressures. On the one hand, we may feel frustration and hopelessness, lost…
