Content Monster

 These days are a little different. The internet has changed the world forever. The way we communicate, the way we do business, even the way we meet potential life partners. Our lives are forever changed by these flashing lights in front of our eyes.

Also, the vast amounts of content now available at our fingertips is extraordinary. It’s a never-ending cycle of data and doldrums that even the human brain can’t comprehend. Actually is this the first indication that technology is becoming smarter than us?

I mean many jobs have already been outsourced to mechanical machines, and a many over-run by computer technology as well. Then, these days artificial intelligence is high on the agenda of many high flying developmental companies – for example Google – so what does the future hold for the flesh and blood workforce?

Slowly but surely humans are being replaced – at least to an extent.

And what’s even weirder, we now even  get our buzzes by interacting on machines (on social media), and we can lose our shit over how many likes we got on a photo we just posted. It’s our new virtual lives, and in this world attention is king.

Our lives are becoming more artificial whereas the life of the computer is becoming more human.

Then to further illustrate this point, to create opportunity and success these days (well in a commercial sense), it’s almost like we need an online platform to launch off. Or a social media following. In fact this is the first thing most big publishing houses look at.

And how does one get a social media following? That’s right, by constantly distributing content, most commonly showcasing their ‘amazing’ life and/or wisdom, and gaining your all important attention.

This is where persistence trumps talent.

Then as a pretty broad generalisation (and as a metaphor), subsequently these days we’re not listening to masters like Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix, but to talent like those off Australian Idol. However, this same scenario has opened the door to a more levelled out marketplace, and perceived opportunity to the little man.

Nevertheless depth really is underrated.

The times really are a changing – well in a way.

You see how people do people create this all important platform? Well using the example of social media here, it’s by posting quality updates at least four or more times per day. Yep it’s that same old story, the more shots you take the higher chance there is of making the basket – like Kobe Bryant scoring 60 points in his last Nba game.

Then for the obsessed or the driven, some people even live their lives, and go out of their way, just to take that amazing photo for Instagram. Again it’s that ‘artificial life’. Plus does that random selfie with a two bob celebrity, someone you may have met for two seconds, does it really mean that much… ‘only all those likes sure are good for my self-esteem’

Only in reality it’s marketing genius. A false economy of likes, loves and wows, all interchanged with the fear of missing out. And now you can even buy that attention – which has made Google and Facebook some of the wealthiest companies in the world. Or employ people to post quality content for you – this is one of the biggest business growth sectors in the world

Plus the addictive nature of some of these elements, it’s freakin nuts! But don’t get me wrong here, I also believe there are many advantages to the content monster, yet without a doubt [as I’ve stated] there are some negatives too. Like if someone says or posts the wrong thing, blimey in some circumstances it can even be on your record for life. And then combine that with a rather public humiliation, just harsh.

Nevertheless, to sum up, the questions beg to be asked – are we getting smarter with all this content at hand? Are we truly advancing with our new screen based lives? And look I guess nobody really knows a definitive answer. Only in my opinion, I think we’re definitely getting smarter in a consciousness sense but a lot dumber in a practical sense.

And also, I believe that all the bright lights are over stimulating our bodies, and all the radio, phone and wi-fi waves now in the air, they can’t be that good for us either – but that’s a story for another day. The human cost is the great unknown.

But this technological revolution has definitely contributed to a good life in many ways, only from here I guess it’s about whether the machines completely take over, or can we find a balance??