Technology's Threat to Solitude and Self-Discovery

There is a whole world outside waiting to be discovered. Cultures are awaiting exploration if one is willing to step away from their laptop screen. Reflection is waiting for those who set their phones down, and more importantly, the virtual opinions belonging to others. Dependent connection to others is posing a threat to solitude in the post-modern world. Synchronized cultures are allowing threats to assault and exile ideals for self-assurance. The original definitions of solitude may even face extinction before long. Although technology has been beneficial to Western culture in the post-modern era, it poses threat of diminishing the influence to seek the enlightenment of solitude.

Idealists, for the most part, are not checking the notifications on their smartphone synced by the second. Idealists instead sought solitude for personal assurance if they had the courage to do so. Henry David Thoreau says, “[He believed] that men are generally still a little afraid of the dark” (Deresiewicz 105). The general fear has

“The camera has created a culture of celebrity; The computer has created a culture of connection” (Deresiewicz 98). Innovation of technology as with the camera of social media has led to a cultural decision to be popular by a majority opinion over self-examination to altruistically represent one’s inner character. Deriving from a computer’s Internet connection to a cell phone’s instant access to communication, there has not been a more socially dependent society in history, which causes terror to the growing population that is unwilling to delve deeper into his or her own thoughts to ask questions such as how and why an event comes to be. There may never be a complete extinction of idealists seeking solitude from time to time, but the end of solitude being culturally acceptable is increasingly