Toward a Sounding Choice

As I am wrestling with how I want to live my life as a Gen-Z woman in the 21st Century, I face questions regarding technology all the time. I know of people who love to use AI to communicate or to study, while others have expressed their deepest disgust for whatever form of AI usage. I have friends who use technology for everything, while others are slowly but surely transitioning into an analog lifestyle. I know of people who have done a social media detox. I have heard of people blaming other people for not knowing how to use technology responsibly. I also learned how some individuals satanize technology. Others, as you might guess, believe in the power of technology as a way to reach global peace.

I mention this because the people you are around can influence how you make decisions regarding all things, from smaller decisions such as sleeping just a little bit more to embracing lifestyles that can radically change your view. Yet, I have people in my life (and some of them dear to my heart) who are in opposite extremes, almost balancing each side. In cases like this, the decision is definitely and imminently in my hands.

I have flirted with each side a little bit. First, I have tried to make everything digital: my books, my music, my gym routine, my class notes, you name it. I have explored different tools around the internet, and I have seen software programs rise and fall as people like me were looking for the best solutions to their everyday problems. This decision seemed logical: after all, even what we now consider “analog” were technological novelties back then. Therefore, the most logical answer would be to embrace whatever new technological strong trend appears, as it is likely to become the norm for society anytime soon. At least, that's what it seemed to be. 

My experience with that tech-first side taught me many things. One: there are tasks that I cannot successfully complete if I do not do them the analog way. For example, typing class notes on Notion did not help me as much as taking handwritten notes on my iPad. Okay, yes, that last part is still technological, but it tries to emulate its analog counterpart. Another thing that I have learned is that either the software program lives long enough to become greedy and start charging too much for too many features without actually improving the experience, or dies in loneliness as the developers cannot keep it running with their own efforts and tools. There are exemptions, yes, but eventually many of those programs face the issue of finances, and the decisions they take can be the lifeline of users who depend a lot on particular tools. 

Another interesting finding from my technological experiences was that the more I used the technological tools, the more I wanted to acquire and the more I wanted to do. I have fallen into (attempted) multitasking—which, if you do not know by now, it actually does not work the way we think it works. Also, I found myself spending more time navigating the internet in general than in getting things done in a meaningful way. I did not like that at all.

My biggest enjoyment falls on delighting in each step of the process. There is a reason why I enjoy crafting my own thank-you cards rather than buying them, why I try to make the musical works I play as my own rather than mindlessly repeating what is in the score—without changing the notes, of course—or why I like reading some books in physical format (or the closest to that) than through bright screens. If I do not enjoy the process, then either I finish it as soon as possible or leave it behind. In contrast, the technological lifestyle looks to get things done quickly and efficiently, and doing as many things as you can because life is short and so is your attention span. Looking at it, the technological lifestyle did not match my interests. 

I could talk you through how companies seem to care more about turning your attention into money or digging deeper into how we have sacrificed privacy for convenience, but there are many articles and YouTube videos that you can watch about it. No need for me to regurgitate it for you. Do your own research, please.

When it comes to trying a more-or-less analog lifestyle, I found that my natural instincts sometimes resonate with it, and sometimes it does not. As part of a generation that was able to see the world before and after the overtake of social media, the smartphone, and subscription models, my own brain desires a bit of both worlds. I desire the beauty of contemplation of life and nature, while also desiring the convenience of streaming music instead of buying albums because #broke. 

Getting into the experience was not easy at all. I still try to implement some bits of it into my life. Perhaps because of my preference for a dark-academia aesthetic or the romanticized lifestyle of previous centuries, I have been trying to spend more time walking around as I observe nature, drinking herbal tea to wind down and relax, and spending some time wrestling with myself and my thoughts (either by doing nothing or through writing) instead of muting them with a podcast episode or one of my playlists. I also tried to limit my screen time on my phone, using apps like ScreenZen to block apps temporarily, or making it look minimalistic and monochrome so I do not feel attracted by the colors of the app icons. I use my computer more now, but because of the ugly experience of looking at social media through a PC screen (as Melanie Webb mentioned before), I find myself spending less time there and more time actually pursuing my real interests (and not the ones that social media tries to implement into my life). 

I cannot deny, however, that the internet has still influenced my life, directly or indirectly. I like to send reels to my friends when I am watching reels on Instagram. I cannot speak to my family in Bolivia outside of social media because the mail system there is terrible. YouTube also provides me, a classical music fan, with a lot of precious recordings of performances that otherwise I could not have accessed and enjoyed unless somehow one of those artists would come somewhere nearby to perform (which nowadays happens, but again, #broke). Besides, in today’s economy, it seems as if you need an app for everything: for banking, for two-factor authentication, for messaging, for taking photos and more. 

It is hard to reach a conclusion at this point, but so far, my stance could be defined as more pro-analog, but I am certainly not an analog extremist. I do acknowledge some of the benefits from current technological tools—even as an editor for the Student Movement, I know that readers like you are more likely to read this and other articles on their phones than in a physical copy. However, as a human being, I value the process of learning, the act of consciously thinking throughout any process, and being more present in the real world—not to embrace the world, but to be aware of where I am and what I am doing. In my experience, doing things in the “analog” way has helped me to think more critically and understand what is going on before making any decisions. 

It is a personal choice, so my invitation is for you to see what works best and what aligns better with your values. And if you are not yet sure of which values you hold, maybe it is time to get on the ground and explore. Maybe you can think about it like the sounds around us. Your brain can process all of them at the same time, but you will only remember and hold on to those you pay attention to. In other words, you get to choose which sound you will purposefully listen to. Choose carefully.