Technology

39563 readers

381 users here now

A nice place to discuss rumors, happenings, innovations, and challenges in the technology sphere. We also welcome discussions on the intersections of technology and society. If it’s technological news or discussion of technology, it probably belongs here.

Remember the overriding ethos on Beehaw: Be(e) Nice. Each user you encounter here is a person, and should be treated with kindness (even if they’re wrong, or use a Linux distro you don’t like). Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Subcommunities on Beehaw:

This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

202

I’m not ignoring your message – I’m overwhelmed by the tyranny of being reachable (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 4 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

43 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A friend messaged me the other day. I saw it. I didn’t reply. A week later, I finally responded with the classic: Sorry for the late reply, just got to this.

She called me out. You didn’t just get to this, she said. I saw the double ticks.

Damn. She was right. I’d opened it. I’d registered it. But I’d also shelved it. It needed a proper reply, and at that moment, I wasn’t equipped.

Maybe it got lost between revisiting pictures from 2016 and the reminder I set to cancel my Nibble app 7-day trial on day 6. Maybe I got a call? Perhaps I’d wanted to sink back into that Substack article about reclaiming attention, ironically while still on social media. Maybe I was working one of the four jobs I need to survive under capitalism’s boot heel. Maybe I was doing nothing?

Does free time now equal availability?

I get a ping from the family group chat, which doubles as an IT helpdesk for my mum. My best friend just FaceTimed me about a White Lotus episode, and another left a voice note crying about a possible diagnosis. All this, lodged between videos of cats and genocide.

The boundaries between reception and response have collapsed.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

If the technical boundary collapsed, put a human-made boundary in its place. You have the right to have some peace of mind and quiet; make yourself unavailable for at least a good chunk of the day, and make sure your folks know you're unavailable. And why.

That's how I remain sane.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ooooo, look at mr. "I'm sane" over here!

jk. good advice.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Ooooo, look at mr. “I’m sane” over here!

I am sane. I SWEAR I AM SANE! /me grabs the kitchen knife CAN'T YOU SEE IT? I'M SANER THAN EVERYONE ELSE HERE!!!!

[I couldn't help but play along with the joke, sorry.]