Ideas are hard to undo. After creation, they have a slippery and nimble nature that withstands even the efforts of a Torquemada and his Inquisition. So, uninventing something is more complicated than you might think. I mainly have social media in mind. Its origins may be as far back as graffiti scrawled on Roman walls. You can still see ads for political candidates and sexual favors on structures in Pompei.
What a coalescence of media types in one origin story! Advertisements, political inducements, and adult personals all in one place. So, uninventing won’t work – The Romans probably invented whitewash to limit the damage, only to invent the term “whitewash ” to cover up inconvenient information.
I know people who will be occupied all weekend catching up with their social media feeds and Netflicks. This adds new meaning to the concept of wintertime hibernation. It’s January, February, or March. You sit in front of your phone, tablet, or computer and watch endless short “reels” and ads. Not until April will they stir. In June, July, and August, they’ll be at the beach—still immersed in their feeds.
Wait! I hear that implant surgery will soon be available. You won’t need the device; the feeds will go directly into your brain.
One more thing to wish you could uninvent.
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amen to that, although i like my blogs . . . as i’m sure you do as well.
I put blogs in a slightly different category. Most of the blogs you and I are involved with are created with some intellectual, literary or creative intent. There is talent, wit, good prose, or poetry involved. Fakebooks, Twit, and Tiktak are full of ads, phony self-help, disinformation, and idle nuisance chatter. Most of it is self reflective, and imitative. That’s not the average blog in our feeds.
Sounds like a scary future