Never before in human life on the planet have more people had access to a wider array of diversions at each waking instant. And yet, we are increasingly stalked, as the King is, by the sense that it's not enough. The more diversions available the more diversion we need, and the more intolerable we find its absence. The Sirens' Call - Chris Hayes Pg 62
For me this is most striking when we're watching a movie, and much of my family must also have a phone out to scroll random stuff on their social media platform of choice. When pressed about it they say they need more stimulation than a mere movie.
I fondly remember the days when my wife and I could sit and watch a movie without other distractions but each other's company. Now we don't talk about the movie or our days, I watch and she scrolls.
It means we have less real time together because much of it is mediated by whatever may possibly be interesting on her phone. I'm not 100% innocent because I too look stuff up sometimes, I just don't have social media on any device but my computer down in my office so I can't watch a movie and dip into social media on my phone.
My big question is, how do I help her recognize the problem described by Chris Hayes, and then wind back the attentional desires so that we can simply spend time together without distractions pulling at us.
