An anecdote for big tech saturation
We all sense it. The looming presence of technology in our lives. Many of us remember life without a virtual layer and yet in this moment, that reality seems to grows ever distant. A global pandemic has forced many social and business interactions to take place online while the political and societal turmoil that surrounds us seems to flourish on the pervasiveness of our social media. To be clear, this won’t be a post calling for a new type of isolation. Nor will I lay responsibility for the many evils of this moment solely on technology. Still, it is worth pausing to reflect as we sit at a decisive time. The new era of possibility marked by the innovation of the the early 2000’s now has had the opportunity to take root and is enabling darker human traits. The collection of our data is leveraged for powerful customized marketing while the combination of gmail, Instagram, and Zoom (among others) call our attention away from those who are physically near us. Powerful tech companies now hold significant leverage in our lives and we must ask an important question. How are we to lead, live, and participate in relationships in this moment?
As Apple and Google (among others) led the tech rebirth over the past decade or two, like me, you may have heard many a brilliant speaker unpacking the wondrous possibilities of devices, social media, internet connectivity, and artificial intelligence. Much less was said about how these same tools could become our masters, sow division, distract us from important relationships, pull us away from high impact work, and cause us to create a platform that may benefit personal promotion more than the common good. The emergence of big tech (with its many advantages) is not bringing a utopia akin to some heavenly promise. Instead, it has brought us a number of highly complex dilemmas. Should we delete our social media account which exposes the negativity of friends? Should we continue to support large online retailers for convenience when they have little connection and care for our local community? Should we have passionate political conversations in online venues where the reach is vast but shallow and the most opinionated gain traction? How do we build businesses and organizations that rely heavily on virtual teams when we care deeply about social impact and relationships? For leaders living a life infused with values and purpose, the decisions/tradeoffs to navigate are endless.
Interestingly, while these decisions can be viewed on a macro level it is the micro level were the game plays out. We find ourselves facing micro decisions that matter with technology thousands of times a day. When do I manage email? How much time to I spend engaging on social media? What settings do I select for notifications? At times, we are not aware that these decisions should be on our radar. I might suggest doing a technology use audit for a day or a week to objectively see where you are at. The systems we interact with powerfully funnels us into participation. Honestly, we are outmatched. The shocking power of complex AI leveraging big data to control consumers feels like customization but also control. Meanwhile political turmoil and division have been magnified exponentially by digital platforms making it increasingly difficult to build consensus among community leaders, donors, church members, and teams in the workplace. If ‘leadership begins with self leadership’ how do we begin to manage the forces that big tech places on us in a responsible way? Can we continue to assimilate to lifestyle norms established unintentionally by culture or intentionally by market forces?
For those who would seek a more meaningful contribution the time has come for action. We must boldly step out of the lifestyle of the unconscious mainstream. We need to lift up our heads and clear them from the noise. We must choose our direction and begin to wade through the current sometimes using its power and other times opposing its pull.
In the 6th century St. Benedict is credited with establishing the concept of a “rule of life” which is now utilized in many monastic communities. This “rule” seeks to outline a lifestyle of maximum significance by outlining practices of contemplation, service of the poor, and work. St. Benedict described a “rule of life” as “…a handbook to make the very radical demands of the gospel a practical reality in daily life.” (See this helpful article from the Northumbria Community). Whether you are a person of faith or are simply striving for a life of significant social impact, it is time for us to embrace a “rule of life” as an anecdote to forces placed upon us by a technology.
My intent is to be practical here not philosophical. Making a difference in our communities, meeting corporate goals, or accomplishing anything else worthwhile is done play by play. What I’d like to suggest is that we are increasingly aware of both the amazing potential and daunting threat of technology. That we act on that by wisely choosing specific practices in our lives in regard to technology. Have you made specific commitments to identify the sacred spaces needed for leadership, relationship, and the most important work. How do we manage our notification settings? How much time do we spend on various media and social media platforms? What are the times and spaces we have identified as no fly zones for devices. It is time to be intentional about managing the touch points big tech has into our personal space for the sake of a meaningful personal and communal legacy. It’s time to form community commitments to practices that will allow for greater social good.
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A rule of life for tech should be practiced in community to help one live out their values. It should be expected that yours may look different than mine given that you function in different spaces and have different priorities. I share my rule of life for technology simply as an example:
Otto’s Tech Rule of Life
Stop notifications - only text and phone calls sound on my phone which is set to vibrate. Badges let me know when an item is waiting. News, weather, social media, and email all wait for me to engage.
Be present - no email when talking with someone or while driving.
Sacred spaces - no phone at the dinner table, and intentionally set it aside when engaging one to one.
Communicate - tell others what I am doing on devices when I am in their presence so they know if I am working, playing, or augmenting our interaction.
Further Exploration
Is Social Media Negatively Effecting Your Life - https://www.pearsoned.com/social-media-negatively-affecting-life/
“The Social Dilemma” on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224?s=i&trkid=0
Benefits and Risks of Artificial Intellegence - https://futureoflife.org/background/benefits-risks-of-artificial-intelligence/
8 Ways Intellegence Marketers Use Artificial Intellegence - https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2017/08/marketers-use-artificial-intelligence/
