Plato’s Prison

Trading away the potential to do everything for computer-generated fantasy.

I’m sure I have discussed the follies of the television on this weblog in some form or another, but today’s focus will be its interactive godchild: social media on the Worldwide Web.

Although the Web is not inherently geared for such self-immolations, it has become the drug of choice for many people who find their lives dissatisfactory and lack the courage or self-honesty to confront that. Of course, image generation and language models have come abound to facilitate the delusion of the idiot box like never before:

I wish I could say it was merely a fun picture or idea, but that would be a simplification that hides the intent and motivation at work here. These things take on far too much attention and weight relative to the kinds of thoughts and socialisations that beckon the action necessary to make any of this a reality.

I’ve talked before about how Western governments have become increasingly lost in the void of their own rectums in thinking the key to success is having the correct opinions. This is a more creative and culturally plugged-in rendition of that. We’ve all heard about the kei truck phenomenon sweeping the United States in service of a combination of disgust towards modern American pickup truck designs as well as sheer simple economics. Here’s a creative idea: make it a technical! Now, instead of just saying this and musing “wouldn’t it be cool”, I can tell a computer program to make it into an image. Isn’t that powerful? Quite the opposite.

This is not as powerful as it seems by the look, because it amounts to nothing more than an overglorified render of a mere idea. There is nothing to be said for how it could be, and there never will be, because that’s hard, and hard things are not the interest of our failing elites. They would rather play with their toys and throw money at actual adults with the magical thinking that anything can be accomplished for the right price. Actual adults know that this is socially corrosive fantasy of the highest degree.

Unfortunately, this is not a benign, static activity. By indulging in such fantasising in lieu of achievement, one further atrophies any muscle or even hope that they may achieve the things they dream of. Over the years, reality gradually recesses away, and the world becomes really small. This is how people become shut-ins in their forties, and it is really sad.

I wish I could say that it is obvious that these things are meaningless pictures, and perhaps to many they are, but to many others they are not, and for them this begs a warning.

When it’s all said and done, the Web is just a medium for communication and the transfer of information. You mustn’t confuse it with the real world.