Fascinating and Frightening

As irony would have it, I heard a TED talk yesterday on this very topic.  Today, I decided to go through the draft section of the blog to see if there was anything worth publishing and I came across this piece I wrote last spring.  Seems I am on to something here, but then we probably already knew that!

From the archives...sometime early last spring:

Have you ever wondered how your recent Internet searches, Facebook feed, YouTube rabbit holes and Twitter feed are shaping your consciousness?  As a social media user I considered this while sitting in church on Sunday.  I guess I wasn't really paying attention to the homily, my mind wandered and ended up on this topic.  Maybe it was the result of reading another request to comment on someone's post about the latest Facebook algorithm.  Maybe it was because I spent much of Saturday searching travel websites for an upcoming trip.  As a result, those sites now send me daily or even hourly notices.  (yes, I know I can control those notices by changing my settings, which I did after the trip was fully planned).  See... the Internet is working its devious way into my consciousness and I think it is a fascinating and frightening topic to consider.

During "that" election I found myself growing very weary of the political chatter, similar to how I am feeling now.  I like to keep my most conservative and most liberal friends(I'll let you figure out who is who) as friends on Facebook even though sometimes their posts drive me to distraction.  I like to think hearing both sides (extremes) keeps me from becoming myopic.  I consider myself a liberal conservative or is it a conservative liberal?  I can never figure out.  Sitting in church I wondered though, if crafting your news feed to fit your opinions and beliefs can eventually lead you to become more extreme. 

Obviously I am not the first person to think of this.
We should all think of this!

If you are a person who loves those recipes that pop up on Facebook and shares them or clicks on the website, you get more of the same type of posts.  Does this in turn get into your subconscious and make you want to cook or craft more?  Mostly they just make me worry about how high my weight and cholesterol would be if I made the dishes.

When I tune into Netflix there is a list of "because you watched ____ you might like ____".  When I go onto my Kindle there is a list of books I might like because I read another book.  The algorithm is doing all of the thinking for me.  I used to just go into a book store or Blockbuster...remember them?! and peruse the aisles and find the books or movies all by myself.  Think of all the great reads or movies I am missing because I am being steered in a direction.  Wandering can lead to some pretty interesting places.

As I planned our vacation using various travel websites I noticed those site's ads were showing up on the sidebar more frequently...even with my ad blocker.  Now I want to plan a trip to Malaysia and Germany and San Francisco....you name it...they all look great!

Does the Internet make us a more extreme version of who we really are?  Does it shape wants, needs and opinions?  Are we all being watched by big brother aka some algorithm?  Are we losing the ability to think for ourselves?  These are the things I think about when I am not paying attention to the homily.  I think next week I'll just pay attention to the priest and see where it leads me.

Reality Check

After an extremely steamy week here in Houston I decided, after binge watching Jack Whitehall's Travels with my Father, to get off my a** and get some exercise.  Regardless of the heat and humidity (humidex for you Canadians) I needed to get outside.  As I listened to my excellent tunes (Imagine Dragons) and walked, my attitude started to change.  Instead of drudging through my walk for the purpose of getting my steps in for the day I decided to find the beauty around me.  There must be some...somewhere...somehow!

My thoughts went to my "after dinner" walks at the shore when the sun was setting and the sandbars were out.  I took so many pictures of the sky reflecting in the gullies and the sun setting in the distance.  I found myself enjoying the late evening sunlight.  Evening really is my favorite time of day.

Not a sandbar but it is as open as it gets around the burbs!

Sand, water and a reflection of the sky....
it will have to do!

I felt a little more pep in my step and decided to walk to the one place I just might be able to get a good view of the sunset. The sky was setting up nicely...just enough clouds and just enough sun.  I walked and listened to my music and kept my eyes open for the positive.  It has been a long, hot, steamy week back in H-town (didn't I already mention that?  It bears repeating!) and I needed a breath of fresh air, even if it was just a mental breath of fresh air.

A suburban gully

I made it to my viewing spot a bit early and had to kill some time before the finale.  Luckily there were fewer mosquitoes than there are at the farmhouse.  The view is still a bit imperfect with the water tank and the electrical wires but what can I say...it was within walking distance of my house and has the most visible horizon.  Beggars can't be choosers.  So I waited.  Yes, there wasn't much going on in my life on this Friday night so I had a bit of time to wait for the sun to set, sweating and swatting a few mosquitoes. 

Getting artsy while waiting

Fitness equipment silhouettes 

Finally the big moment came.  Was it worth it?  I guess.  It was the best sunset I've seen since the night we arrived back in town.  It was also better than sitting in the house watching Netflix for the fifth or sixth hour and I got my steps for the day done. 

But so much clutter!

Better from a distance.

The punchline to this story comes about an hour later.  I walked home and was considering sharing my suburban sunset experience.  I was feeling a bit proud of myself for getting out and making the most out of being back in the steamy south.  You should know that TJ headed back to the cooler air at the farmhouse this morning.  And then it happened.  The pin that burst my balloon.  TJ shared a few pictures from the shore.  They were like a dagger to my heart.  I had just tried so hard to embrace being back here...and then he sends me these. 

I am humbled

What...no power lines?!

No water tanks?  I think he is just rubbing it in!

As I deeply sighed and fought back my green envy monster I reminded myself why I am down here in the first place.  It is not about the weather or the sunset.  I am here because of one very special little girl and she is more beautiful and breath taking than any sunset... anywhere.  I'm here to welcome our newest grand child and our first granddaughter!  I'm here to help out with her big brother and to help her parents out a bit.  The sun sets every night, this only happens once!

Getting to see Logan meet his little sister....priceless!