binary bliss
an observation about the way people relax in the digital age
2014
an observation about the way people relax in the digital age
2014
Binairy bliss is a book and an observation about the way people relax in the digital age. For the content of this book I interviewed over 30 people. All quotes came from these persons stated with the first letter of their name, age and job. They all play games just for fun and relaxing, they are not in any way addicted.
BECAUSE I'M HAPPY
What is todays understanding about happiness? Happiness consists of satisfaction, satisfied with what you have and who you are. The pursuit of ambitions and self-set goals, achieve those goals and then set new goals again. It is said that if you don't have to think about the fact that you are, you already must be happy, right?
~ tekst from spread below
THE DIGITAL BUBBLE
The emerge of the internet has led to a totally different meaning of social happiness. Because of the internet we can connect with each other on any day at any time. Our contacts consists of family, friends, colleagues, classmates, acquaintances and even total strangers. It's easy and convenient but also creates a distance, a kind of digital wall between ourselves and other people. And because of this wall it makes it easier to say what you want, because you can't directly see the reaction on someones face. If you say something bad or hurtful, it doesn't really matter that much. We say things more easily, because the effects only exist of words on our screens.
Despite this, we still want to inspire and strive for a socially sustainable society. But what does this really mean? Sharing information has led to positive things, such as more civic initiatives like crowd funding. But the distribution of personal information also has its downside. Although we seem to want to get rid of anonymity, we don't want to compromise our privacy. If the government is watching us, surfing and clicking, and this information is then passed on to commercial parties we get upset. But aren’t we doing this ourselves?
The emerge of the internet has led to a totally different meaning of social happiness. Because of the internet we can connect with each other on any day at any time. Our contacts consists of family, friends, colleagues, classmates, acquaintances and even total strangers. It's easy and convenient but also creates a distance, a kind of digital wall between ourselves and other people. And because of this wall it makes it easier to say what you want, because you can't directly see the reaction on someones face. If you say something bad or hurtful, it doesn't really matter that much. We say things more easily, because the effects only exist of words on our screens.
Despite this, we still want to inspire and strive for a socially sustainable society. But what does this really mean? Sharing information has led to positive things, such as more civic initiatives like crowd funding. But the distribution of personal information also has its downside. Although we seem to want to get rid of anonymity, we don't want to compromise our privacy. If the government is watching us, surfing and clicking, and this information is then passed on to commercial parties we get upset. But aren’t we doing this ourselves?
Technology has surely brought humanity closer to solutions. You can now reach a wider audience thanks to modern technology and often enough you have the direction in your own hands. But you do not reach people on a physical level, you don't see them directly or hear them speak in real life. After all, you do not have to get outside your door to make contact. You live as it were in your own anonymous digital bubble.
We just call it 'social media'.
~ tekst from spreads below
~ tekst from spreads below
TOTALLY LETTING LOOSE
Because of our successful jobs and our utterly busy social lives, letting loose is often a necessary good. Some of us relax a bit by going out for a walk, getting sweaty by doing sports, sit on a chair while you stare into the water by fishing or any other kind of relaxation. The relaxation of the mind and body, must be key to a happy life then? But nowadays, with a certain group of people, relaxation lies within the range of their controller. They briefly escape to another world, get dragged into a fictional story and sometimes even enrich their own reality...
Because of our successful jobs and our utterly busy social lives, letting loose is often a necessary good. Some of us relax a bit by going out for a walk, getting sweaty by doing sports, sit on a chair while you stare into the water by fishing or any other kind of relaxation. The relaxation of the mind and body, must be key to a happy life then? But nowadays, with a certain group of people, relaxation lies within the range of their controller. They briefly escape to another world, get dragged into a fictional story and sometimes even enrich their own reality...
They call it 'gaming'.
~ tekst from spread below
~ tekst from spread below
THE PLAY FIELD
The nice thing about playing a digital game is that you do not have to leave your house. You can do it at any time and you don't need to take account of others. You're pretty free to go as you please where ever you want. You can immerse yourself in other worlds, be tempted by things that in reality are much more difficult to achieve. You let yourself get carried away by visual pleasure, make contact with like-minded people and you don't even know who they are. But hey, do you really want to know them?
The nice thing about playing a digital game is that you do not have to leave your house. You can do it at any time and you don't need to take account of others. You're pretty free to go as you please where ever you want. You can immerse yourself in other worlds, be tempted by things that in reality are much more difficult to achieve. You let yourself get carried away by visual pleasure, make contact with like-minded people and you don't even know who they are. But hey, do you really want to know them?
It feels so satisfyingly anonymous, so satisfyingly safe. You can do what you want, you can go wherever you want and if it all gets too much, or you just don't feel like it anymore? Just turn of the switch and it's gone. Gaming may be a habit, a habit often calls for a negativity. But in this play field a habit can be so reassuring.
~ tekst from spreads below
~ tekst from spreads below
BINARY BLISS
Longing for reassurance. Longing for the ideal world in a society where we all have to do so much, but we just don't feel like it sometimes. Sometimes just act as a child and get away. Just enter into another life, another life to live. The ultimate happiness outside ourselves, all because of modern technology. Feelings of enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction in a digital surrounding.
Longing for reassurance. Longing for the ideal world in a society where we all have to do so much, but we just don't feel like it sometimes. Sometimes just act as a child and get away. Just enter into another life, another life to live. The ultimate happiness outside ourselves, all because of modern technology. Feelings of enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction in a digital surrounding.
I call that 'Binary bliss'.
~ tekst from spread below
~ tekst from spread below
The images above are made by me, please do not use it without my permission
