growing up before digital heroin

a Gen Xer's nostalgic reminiscence

w/ darren harley

---

---

i remember

i remember — when being — alone — in a room
meant being — alone — in a room

---

alone — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — when drugs — were the addictions
we were warned — to beware of

---

digital heroin — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — the days — before smart phones

when little boys — played outside — on their own
and knew how — to make eye contact

---

zucked — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — when little girls — chased boys — around the block
without worrying — about likes — or follower counts

---

please follow me — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

algorithmic dysfunction

i remember — how it was — before selfies

before unlimited — digital — connections

before brains — were rewired — in isolation
for anxiety — and depression

---

isolation — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — a time
before short-term — dopamine-driven — feedback loops

did you read that one? 👆🏼

before digital — heroin — began destroying
how society — works

---

heroin addict — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — when friendship — was in person

when brothers — sat with sisters — around tables
and shared real — conversations

if you have friends — who might enjoy — open to change — in their box
please forward — this post — or click below

i remember — how it felt — to be connected

---

connected — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

i remember — when drugs — were delivered — in bottles
not through Wi-Fi

when the search — for meaning — involved books
not anti-social — media

---

anti-socialized — March 2023 — © darren harley

---

feeling connected

i remember — when i thought — the opposite — of addiction
was sobriety

the opposite — of addiction — isn’t sobriety

it’s connection

• deep — meaningful — patient — human
  connection

---

---

---

i remember — the taste — of water — before the well
was poisoned — by digital — heroin

i remember

do you remember?

thank you for supporting open to change
🙏🏼

---