The Challenges of Being Present in a Hyper-Connected World

Tolu Aibana
Sep 8, 2018 · 3 min read

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Food, Water and Wifi?

Most are familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: the pyramid model of people’s psychological desires and motivations. If Maslow’s theory were revised for today’s society, could internet access become another level of the pyramid?

It’s hard to argue that the internet isn’t becoming a basic need of modern society. The internet is a ubiquitous medium, it transcends space and time and puts you anywhere, everywhere and at any time in the digital sphere; its very form allows you to remain hyper-connected.

Collin’s dictionary defines Hyperconnectivity as “the use of many systems and devices so that you are always connected to social networks and other sources of information.”

Today, being hyper-connected has become mandatory. Take school and work, for example, it’s virtually impossible to be a functioning member without at least an e-mail address.

However, we use the Internet for more than just productivity — but as a vessel of relentless distraction. Our brains’ compulsive craving for new information has been nourished by the Internet. It promises all the material we want till we are overloaded with too much information to process.

Like any substance addiction, the brain continues to crave this novel substance in a compulsive loop. The Internet is capable of catering to each addicts’ vice, whether it be trending news, trivial social media, or descending into a rabbit hole of memes. We share, like, snap, favorite, tweet, and produce our own content to feed into the internet’s abyss of data.

However, the internet isn’t totally evil. It’s helped promote and democratize information in profound ways. It’s connected people despite their geographical locations and enabled them to achieve goals their ancestors couldn’t begin to imagine. It’s allowed people to explore the world for a better life and remain connected to their loved ones.

Yet, I urge people to contemplate what communication technology does to us as it reinvents what it means to be human. What impact does using technology to mediate our social lives have on those relationships? Are we more connected or isolated? Is every technological innovation equivocal to human progress?

I don’t have the answers to these big questions, but I argue that it’s hard to be truly present in a world where you’re constantly trying to process information. It’s been proven that the ability to remain present is a valuable skill which can help with one’s creativity, concentration, and mindfulness.

Or maybe none of these things are a priority to you — but I must ask this: how often have you logged off Facebook on your laptop, only to find yourself scrolling away on your phone’s feed in bed moments later?

I mean, God forbid you’re left alone with your own thoughts.

Tolu Aibana

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