Primal Primer 4 (Mentality)
Digital screens and the content transmitted are relatively new inventions absent in most human history and prehistory. For past sapiens, information was spread solely through mediums of art, word, or oral story. The advent of screens and internet has removed the barrier of sharing information, allowing anyone, anywhere, to publish content. While facilitating beneficial transmission of information to the masses, conversely opens gate to misleading and coercive content. Larger detriments being the addictive nature of around the clock content that does little enriching while distracting from Life Unifying Purposes (L.U.P.).
Content Consumption Grows Teeth
We are being hunted by endless streams of content. Long ago, we gazed at stars, observed nature, and meditated on life. Today, we’ve traded mindful moments for scrolling and swiping; losing touch with real-life connections in favor of curated illusions on social media. We’ve become passive consumers, allowing random feeds to tax our brains and drive us into N.P.C. (non-playable character) states of mind.
Excessive consumption of sponsored, algorithm-driven content overstimulates the nervous system while dulling creativity and deep thinking. The more we consume, the less we create. When the valve of consumption is open, creativity is shut off. Auto-plays, shorts, and infinite scrolling warp our sense of time, implanting false desires and emotions, and transforming us from producers to consumers.
~Cave Implementation~
The solution is mindfulness and intentionality. Assess and quantify your screen time. Use apps and tools to track how much time (energy) you are spending viewing screens—specifically on passive consumption. What is your ratio of consuming to creating? Is the content enriching your mind or draining your energy by influencing unnecessary purchases, presenting false realities, or anesthetizing creative drive?
Be vigilant about your screen habits, particularly first thing in the morning and within two hours before bed. Rather than beginning or ending the day in front of a screen, reconnect with nature. Get outside, stretch your eyes toward the horizon or stars, and allow natural light to enter your retina, recalibrating your body’s rhythms. Rest eyes from the artificial light of screens.
Use screens as tools for creation rather than mindless consumption. Write, generate ideas, work on projects, and engage in creative endeavors. If social media is taking more than it’s giving, disconnecting reality, or meaningful relationships, consider fasting from apps. Screen fasts are powerful in resetting the mind and reconnecting with a Life Unifying Purpose (L.U.P.).
Use Screens As tools For Creation Rather Than Mindless Consumption.
