Sounds dramatic, but maybe you’ve felt it too:
That slow loss of control.
Like we built something we can no longer stop.
Social media, smartphones – they’ve woven themselves deep into our lives.
A relentless machine, feeding us hit after hit of dopamine.
Likes, hearts, followers – each notification gives a tiny thrill.
And now?
We’re addicted.
No accident, of course.
The world’s brightest minds work every day to keep us glued to our screens.
Former tech executives won’t even use their own apps.
Because they know exactly how dangerous they are.
That should tell you everything.
The problem runs deeper than addiction, wasted time, or lost focus.
It’s about privacy.
Freedom.
Peace of mind.
Algorithms decide what we see.
Not for our good, but for theirs.
Every post is carefully chosen to hold your attention.
And you?
You pay with your time.
Your creativity.
Your moments of real happiness.
Your sense of control over your own life.
Maybe you’ve noticed it:
We feel free, but we’re being led.
We feel connected, yet we’re more isolated than ever.
We chase happiness, but feel emptier inside.
We thought this would help us.
Social media once felt like a promise.
Now? More like a trap.
We think it’s all free.
But nothing is free.
You pay with your attention.
Your peace of mind.
Moments when you could be recharging, dreaming, breathing.
In the end, you pay with what matters most –
Yourself.
One day, when life is far behind,
Will ghostly reels invade your mind –
Endless feeds of polished glee,
Where you were lost but thought you’d see?
Perfection staged in brilliant light,
Yet robbed you of your own birthright:
To choose, to think, to truly feel,
Beyond the screen’s unyielding seal.
Eyes transfixed in mindless trance,
While real life begged you for a dance.
Each vacant minute – slipped away,
A subtle theft day after day.
So now, decide to break the hold,
Abandon highlight tales retold.
The answer wasn’t there to start –
It always lived within your heart.
A question for those
who dare to explore
beginning with the end
they’ve barely glimpsed before.
Reflecting on tomorrow’s
long-unfolding view,
unaware how much time
remains for me and you.
Chances are we scroll,
through feeds that never sleep,
forever watching others’
posed and filtered sweep –
tyrannically flaunted
the whole day long,
we drift and descend
where our screens belong,
mindless, unwitting,
softly controlled,
suffering blindly
yet never consoled –
all of it so far
from the truth we intend,
so distant
from the answer
awaiting at the end.
Julian – Vita Florentis
