💾 Archived View for jsreed5.org › log › 2022 › 202203 › 20220303-sensory-overload.gmi captured on 2023-12-28 at 15:52:05. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2022-04-28)
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It's been over a year since I first dove into smaller Internet protocols like Gopher and Gemini. These days, I spend the majority of my discretionary online time on these services. Their leisurely pace, their simplicity, their lack of distractions, and their friendly communities are all big draws for me. With the amount of time I spend on Gemini in particular, I've become acclimated to its ethos.
In contrast, when I need to visit the mainline Web, I find it exhausting and often overstimulating. Many sites appear far too bright and colorful, there are way too many images, too much information is packed into the screen, and too many advertisements and links vie for my attention all at once.
I get the same feeling whenever I see a television broadcast anymore. My wife and I have not had cable since 2016, so we only have occasion to watch TV when we visit a relative or sit in a waiting room. The commercials are fast-paced and high-energy, they often refer to Internet memes or pop-culture curio I'm unaware of, and the bombardment of sounds and visuals are all aimed at trying to get more money out of me. It's quite a draining experience.
I've become particularly aware of the insane extent to which sexual appeal and other dopamine triggers are dominant in modern media. Humans are visual creatures, but since Gopher and Gemini are text-driven protocols, I've become used to a much smaller degree of visual stimulation. When going to popular Web sites like YouTube or Twitter, or even seeing commercials on TV, I can no longer tune out the scores of scantily-clad women, over-decorated plates of fatty food, unaffordable high-end sports cars, and all sorts of material decadence that don't bring any real happiness.
The assault on my senses is so striking that it makes me wonder how people can deal with it on a daily basis. That being said, I suspect many people can't handle it as well as they think they can. It probably contributes to the widespread depression, anxiety and nihilism in our world today.
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[Last updated: 2022-03-03]