The Pull. It looks like this…
Its physical source is the screen, whether on a phone or computer. Its digital source comes from email, messaging apps, or social media. Its emotional source comes from various unspoken social expectations, FOMO, and an existential loneliness stemming from a lack of belonging and “feeling seen” outside the screen.
It goes by medical names like “internet addiction disorder” or “digital dependence,” but these terms do not capture the essence of the phenomenon. I prefer to call it The Pull because it feels like my body is being pulled to, and then into, the screen. The Pull can be subtle and hard to detect. It is unconscious, impulsive, and, if left unchecked, highly addictive.
In reaction, internet pessimists are imploring us to get off the internet, arguing that it is polarizing, dehumanizing, and making us uselessly reliant. The unconsciousness of The Pull only accelerates our collective fate, pushing humanity toward a state of slavery. In response, internet realists acknowledge these dangers but understand that the answers are not simple, as many livelihoods and social connections are deeply tethered to the internet. They also sense that the future remains up for grabs.
As an aspiring realist, I like to engage in a positive reframing of the pessimists’ legitimate concerns: the internet can be seen as a training ground for temperance—the cardinal virtue of moderation in all things (including moderation itself). While difficult in their own ways, I find it easier to exercise temperance with something physically tangible, something you can point to, like certain drinks and foods, such as coffee and treats. It becomes much trickier when it comes to the internet.
Terms such as "internet addiction disorder" do not fully capture the issue because you cannot point to "the internet," but you can point to the screen—hence why I focus on it when discussing The Pull. Everything is on these devices now. It’s how we communicate, manage our finances, find a mate, navigate, track our health, entertain ourselves, and express our most intimate thoughts. This is no ordinary addiction.
Instead of being defeated and pessimistically complaining about the internet while still being pulled by it, we can view this as an opportunity to build our temperance on hard mode. The greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity. This challenge involves dealing with what are, in reality, weapons-grade devices in our hands. With their phones and computers, people can start riots, wars, and acts of terror from the comfort of their homes. They can change, shape, and manipulate minds—and the reality is, this is already being done to us 24/7.1
In essence, a new martial art is needed—an attentional martial art. The culture war framing is overplayed; a spiritual war is a more appropriate lens now, as it’s not only culture that is at stake. The frontlines of this war are The Pull, and the attentional casualties are vast. It can be resisted and won by redirecting the attentional flow: from one’s life being in service to feeding the internet through the screen, to the screen being a handy tool in service of life.
While looking on Pinterest for the images that opened this entry, I also came across this one:
This image—a man being pulled while an “entity” is summoned—captures the essence of The Pull: our consciousness being replaced via the screen. I do not believe this is merely a visual metaphor, though you may interpret it as such if you prefer. In any case, when you are unconsciously drawn into the screen, something will inevitably replace your consciousness.
If you have any questions, insights, feedback, or criticism on this entry or more generally, message me below (I read and respond on Saturdays) …
