This post is amazing. The juxtaposition of the brilliant colors and the darkness of human despair in your artwork tells the whole story - words aren’t even needed! Thanks, Darren!
As a Gen Z-er I’m always struck with envy hearing about older generations reminiscing on this time I didn’t get to live. There is no way to gauge what’s romanticized or false memory or the truth but not the whole truth... To remedy this I for one try my best to refrain from all the digital heroin I can, and wish it for others, all while knowing this stage of collective, federalized addiction will, ideally, culminate in a sort of divine sobriety. Very triggered and also soothed by this. Lovely work!
Alone - in a room - alone with music, or a book - which allowed our single brain to create worlds and emotions and reactions that showed us "who" we were when nobody is watching... Can't completely put electronics away, because it is leading me to kindred souls. Thank you for your words and depictions.
oh my god. This is so good. Just so good. It's the bold simplicity that makes your words and pictures stand apart from other articles and comments about this major mental health crisis. Thank you.
Powerful words and images Darren, thank you 🙏. I’m a genX er too and I’m so grateful to have memory of what it was like before the internet. Having said that, there was a loneliness I felt then that I think the internet at its best helps with, to more easily find ‘the others’, your tribe, access to information and knowing you’re not alone. I find that it’s easy to be nostalgic about what is was like before. I think what’s required on a personal level is proactive discernment.
Thank you Darren. This is so beautiful. I grew up in the 1960's, pre-electronic everything. I'm eternally grateful for this. All my experiences were my own—non-surveilled, non-cataloged, in nature, with people. Later, when I grew into adulthood, my learning came from the library, through books. The physical space of all those great libraries from Maine to California are etched in my mind forever. I hope that in the future we can all recognize the real power that comes from this kind of simple, pure, being.
The counter-trend is well underway. I have kids in school, and over the last few years, I've seen the cool thing change from being maximally plugged-in to being maximally unplugged. A few years ago, the alphas were the ones with the newest phones and the largest social media followings. Now, the alphas are the ones who never touch their phones and don't use social media. Covid changed everything: after being forced to interact exclusively with screens for one to two years, the kids want reality.
Well written. I agree and disagree. You’re very right about digital heroin and this is beautifully written and very heartfelt. The delete social media thing makes sense but to so many that just isn’t going to be their reality. I believe an approach along the lines of using social media as a tool for learning and networking is more feasible and valuable in the long term
Hi Darren, I remember! I was born before the internet. Sounds crazy, eh? Love your art, and your poetry. I blog about EMF, and dig into the science behind addictive tech. Here's one of my articles among many FYI: https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/the-1-emf-youve-forgotten-about
I'm also helping Arthur Firstenberg (wrote the Invisible Rainbow) in getting his Substack distributed to the masses. I hope we can connect!
I remember - when reading a poem - was a solitary activity
Now I am accompanied by - a TV screen in the background
in the foreground - this phone - with its endless WhatsApp notifications - within these notifications - links to memes - also astute political articles foreshadowing my - impending doom
these links superseded by alarm prompts - so that - I remember - to take my medicine
I remember - being alone - hating it - now I ache for it - solitude
Beautifully written, what's frustrating is how reliant society is on social media platforms now. I can't even be a singer-songwriter without being peer pressured to be posting content on TikTok, feeling the need to go 'viral' to feel validated. I quit social media 3 years ago for this reason, so being back on now but for a work/business reason is extremely frustrating! Wish the world was less reliant on digital platforms.
Oh my Darren! May your exquisite poem revive every closed mind and heart. My prayer is that every human experience your art. This brings soul healing tears. Thank you and God Bless.
This post is amazing. The juxtaposition of the brilliant colors and the darkness of human despair in your artwork tells the whole story - words aren’t even needed! Thanks, Darren!
As a Gen Z-er I’m always struck with envy hearing about older generations reminiscing on this time I didn’t get to live. There is no way to gauge what’s romanticized or false memory or the truth but not the whole truth... To remedy this I for one try my best to refrain from all the digital heroin I can, and wish it for others, all while knowing this stage of collective, federalized addiction will, ideally, culminate in a sort of divine sobriety. Very triggered and also soothed by this. Lovely work!
Alone - in a room - alone with music, or a book - which allowed our single brain to create worlds and emotions and reactions that showed us "who" we were when nobody is watching... Can't completely put electronics away, because it is leading me to kindred souls. Thank you for your words and depictions.
oh my god. This is so good. Just so good. It's the bold simplicity that makes your words and pictures stand apart from other articles and comments about this major mental health crisis. Thank you.
In silence, souls speak,
Patience weaves a tender bond,
Depth of hearts revealed.
I remember.
I just scrapped in as one of the last generations who still played outside as a kid. Another great piece.
Powerful words and images Darren, thank you 🙏. I’m a genX er too and I’m so grateful to have memory of what it was like before the internet. Having said that, there was a loneliness I felt then that I think the internet at its best helps with, to more easily find ‘the others’, your tribe, access to information and knowing you’re not alone. I find that it’s easy to be nostalgic about what is was like before. I think what’s required on a personal level is proactive discernment.
Very poignant. I do remember!
Thank you Darren. This is so beautiful. I grew up in the 1960's, pre-electronic everything. I'm eternally grateful for this. All my experiences were my own—non-surveilled, non-cataloged, in nature, with people. Later, when I grew into adulthood, my learning came from the library, through books. The physical space of all those great libraries from Maine to California are etched in my mind forever. I hope that in the future we can all recognize the real power that comes from this kind of simple, pure, being.
The counter-trend is well underway. I have kids in school, and over the last few years, I've seen the cool thing change from being maximally plugged-in to being maximally unplugged. A few years ago, the alphas were the ones with the newest phones and the largest social media followings. Now, the alphas are the ones who never touch their phones and don't use social media. Covid changed everything: after being forced to interact exclusively with screens for one to two years, the kids want reality.
Thanks @darrenharley - beautiful
Well written. I agree and disagree. You’re very right about digital heroin and this is beautifully written and very heartfelt. The delete social media thing makes sense but to so many that just isn’t going to be their reality. I believe an approach along the lines of using social media as a tool for learning and networking is more feasible and valuable in the long term
Hi Darren, I remember! I was born before the internet. Sounds crazy, eh? Love your art, and your poetry. I blog about EMF, and dig into the science behind addictive tech. Here's one of my articles among many FYI: https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/the-1-emf-youve-forgotten-about
I'm also helping Arthur Firstenberg (wrote the Invisible Rainbow) in getting his Substack distributed to the masses. I hope we can connect!
I remember - when reading a poem - was a solitary activity
Now I am accompanied by - a TV screen in the background
in the foreground - this phone - with its endless WhatsApp notifications - within these notifications - links to memes - also astute political articles foreshadowing my - impending doom
these links superseded by alarm prompts - so that - I remember - to take my medicine
I remember - being alone - hating it - now I ache for it - solitude
Beautifully written, what's frustrating is how reliant society is on social media platforms now. I can't even be a singer-songwriter without being peer pressured to be posting content on TikTok, feeling the need to go 'viral' to feel validated. I quit social media 3 years ago for this reason, so being back on now but for a work/business reason is extremely frustrating! Wish the world was less reliant on digital platforms.
Oh my Darren! May your exquisite poem revive every closed mind and heart. My prayer is that every human experience your art. This brings soul healing tears. Thank you and God Bless.