The Measure of Succes
What happens if you measure the success of everything you do in likes and responses you get from others?
It is not enough to achieve excellence at your job. It matters what food you eat. Where you eat it. What clothes you wear. What books you read. How compelling a review you can write of that book, in as few clever words as possible. It matters how new your gadgets are. How big your online network is. How cute your cat looks. How tasteful your home is decorated. How much you travel. Where you travel. How much you work. How little you work. What music you listen too. What shows you watch.
Social media
The Internet is a battleground for social media. New services, websites and apps are constantly popping up with new ways to share, connect and get noticed (if you’re lucky and have good mobile photography skills).
Much have been said of social media. Is it good or bad? Does the technology open up for our egocentric nature and crave for self-promotion and social recognition? Or can social media be a positive motivational drive in achieving personal goals e.g. a healthy lifestyle?
In any case, most of us are entangled in it. For one purpose or another. And whether intentional or not, we are measuring our success in the feedback we receive.
Privacy matters
We need room for privacy, we need a place where we can just be. And we need to be able to do things, without letting everyone else know.
Not necessarily due to a fear of mass-surveillance. But to be able to do something, without being measured. Without living up to. Unplugging. Doing something nice for yourself, just because. Without worrying what others think about what you do for your recreation.
Design for immersion
Amongst many things we at 2K do, we are developers of an app for Bible reading — actually designed for reading.
Reading the Bible is recreational. It can be educational, it can be thought-provoking. And setting the scene for reflection and immersion requires only one thing: You, unplugging.
And then, when you have spent time for yourself, you may have something profoundly valuable to share. Something real. Something that is not made for success.
