the art of (dis)connection

This is a collaborative piece comprised of graphics by the genius @ip.ster, and an article courtesy of me, which we made as a submission to the 'connections' issue of Urban Outfitters' Sheet Magazine.

The worldwide webs of data, information and media connect us in a revolutionary manner. This is why we created the internet - to feel closer to one another despite physical distances- and it worked! Now, everyone with a phone can keep tabs around the globe, with world news and celebrity gossip accessible at the touch of a screen. ‌‌

So why, in this era of connection, are people online seemingly more disconnected than ever? ‌‌

Somewhere along the line, we must’ve lost touch with how we naturally relate with one another. It’s always been more than the simple exchange of words. Non-verbal communication crafts the dynamic between two people, which constructs the gate through which humans truly connect. These subtleties can’t be fully recreated through screens, and so the digital world can’t bring us the same level of connection as the physical world can, despite the distance our ones and zeroes can travel.‌‌

Maybe our internet infatuation factors into the lack of empathy and understanding we are seeing on every corner of the web today. Trolls are people who feel more connected to the digital than the physical (termed 'chronically online'), and are often in need of reconnection with the world around them in many ways. So, in this age of information and digitization, it's important not to synonymize online connectivity with the human feelings of connectedness and mutual understanding. ‌‌

That's why practising the art of disconnection is important. Unplugging from technology, letting ourselves process our lives and realities instead of letting algorithms process our digital data endlessly. Whichever way you see fit, to disconnect from the digital is key to connection. It looks like connection and disconnection are two ends of a spectrum in this way, two sides of one valuable coin.