Blurring the lines between mankind in the matrix post corona

 PC: The Mankind/Matrix “Mystery”

I woke up this morning, like most mornings,  and popped. In my headphones to listen to a book.  This was on my smart phone.  I checked to see my alarm was set on the same device.  In a few minutes I asked  the phone or it’s automated assistant what the weather was like.  I had now heard the voice of three humans but hadn’t spent one moment in a real conversation.  Next, I pulled on my sweatshirt and some light gloves to head out on a walk.  My trusty phone  played music from my digital library and the phone also tracked my every step to tell me just how far I had walked, the speed of my walk and the approximate length of each stride.  This begs the question—am I using th phone or am I doing things the way the phone would have me do them, motivated by the numbers the phone spits out?  We’ll come back. To that.... let’s see what other connected machines  I used this morning and what other machines I used instead of doing something by hand?   Following my walk I put  about 10 celery  stalks and 12 carrot sticks in my blender along with an orange and a spot of cranberry justice and a spot of tea.  I hit super-liquify  and in a couple minutes had an interesting and somewhat  healthy breakfast drink.  After  rinsing and putting the blender away I sat in front of the television set—well the monitor that can be a cable tv, a streaming device and a projection screen for my phone.  It can do these things because it is connected. To my home network.  Now my home network has a printer, 2 televisions, a game system, two tablets, one desktop and two laptops connected along with four  phones.  These devices have no fewer than 7 or 8 Bluetooth devices  connected to them.  All these things serve as digital replacements for things people once did and several of them Ionce did.  

Oh and I loaded the dryer and started the washer each of which have “smart” features, however, we still push the buttons even if that’s the equivalent of going to the river and beating my jeans on a rock.  As I launched  the email app on my phone, I imagined thousands of people fitting their heads in front of little cameras to be centered up for “zoom” meetingsThis is yet another machine oriented activity that the pandemic encouraged and has become a part of our culture.  

All this tech/machine interaction has some impact on life—good or bad—who can say.  One thing for certain there is a gap between those who are tech “savvy”  and those who are tech averse.  For some the tech creates access and for others it creates anxiety.  In short some folks see the man/machine  matrix as a play ground that expands creativity and connections while others cringe at the way they must depend upon devices that they don’t really understand or trust.  One possible opportunity  in this new era is that “the general population” may now understand the complex relationships people with disabilities have with assistive technology.  It can greatly increase access and opportunities and when it doesn’t work it is incredibly  disruptive.  

What does this all mean for seeking peace and joy?  Well ... just one more detour and then Jesus  and the Buddha will provide some possible enlightenment.  

For now here’s a musical salute to th man machine turmoils people with some disabilities  )and some others) are coping with in the pandemic and beyond.  Enjoy. https://youtu.be/CX8dbZbEtfQ