Nonexistent Notifications
Hello Universe 177
Our phones have become extensions of our very beings, and it's hard to imagine that just a few years ago, we managed to exist without these pocket-sized overlords. These glowing rectangles, barely larger than a bar of soap, have somehow hijacked our attention spans, our social interactions, and even our sleep cycles. We've become so attuned to their constant pings and buzzes that we've developed a new form of sensory hallucination – the phantom vibration syndrome. Our digital dependencies have turned us into Pavlov's humans, salivating at the thought of every electronic ding.
Today's poem is a look at this all-too-familiar modern predicament.
Alright, poem starts in 3… 2… 1!
A buzz, a ping, a phantom beep, my phone, it seems, has roused from sleep. I grab it quick with practiced ease, expecting texts or memes or pleas. But wait! The screen is dark and dumb, no notifications have come. I could have sworn I felt a shake, is this what madness feels like, mate? I put it down, but doubt creeps in, was there a message from my kin? I check again—and yet again, this FOMO's driving me insane! At last I toss it in a drawer, determined to ignore its lure. But as I turn to walk away, it actually dings! Yes, hooray! I dive across the room with glee, What wondrous message could this be? Unlocking it my heart aflutter, I find that ... "Battery Low" it mutters. So here I sit, all hot and bothered, this digital world has made me awkward. I think I'll just unplug my life, a career pigeon will be my next device.
That’s it for this week! Thanks for checking out edition 177 of Hello Universe.
Check out Some Fun Stuff below.
I’m curious to know, do you also feel phantom notifications sometimes? I’ve felt them often when I’m anticipating some news, I wonder if this is a common phenomenon. Share your experiences with the Hello Universe community in the comments!
Some Fun Stuff
This is where I share something cool to read, something cool to listen to, and something cool to watch! The underlined words are links that you can click to visit the recommended content.
1. Play “Is This Prime”: A fun game where you just have to determine whether a number is prime or not. My highest score is 21! Tip: Press “Y” or “N” if you are more of a keyboard shortcut person.
2. Listen to Marbles & Drains by TM Juke: A happy track with happy beats this week for you. Check it out!
3. Watch Tintin et le Mystère de La Toison d'or: The first ever live-action adaptation of Tintin made in 1961 is just beautiful. Faithful to Herge’s vision, made with his blessings, and a masterful mystery, I couldn’t find any fault with this film. Jean-Pierre Talbot is a fantastic Tintin and Georges Wilson feels like the embodiment of Captain Haddock. A true classic, check it out!
That’s it for this week, see you next Tuesday!
Oh, this is brilliant! I have notifications - they're insidious, aren't they? - turned off on my phone because I really couldn't cope with them. I like to think that I'm a little more relaxed as a result!
I bought a smartwatch a few weeks ago. Recently, I realized I’ve started to feel phantom notifications in my wrist! Eerie.