LIVING BETWEEN SCREENS

What this book is about.

I got the idea for this book while recently living with no internet at home for two years. The experience was so profound to me — merely a month or two in — that I decided to write an article about it. Well… That article just kept going, and going, when I realized that I had a ton to say about the topic. A lifetime of being a "computer nerd" gave me the knowledge to unearth, processes, and to explain with acuity, what I found hiding deep in the machine (and in my mind!). That, and the fact that I was born in a sweet spot of the "hinge generation" Having been old enough to experience a totally analogue world, but young enough to tell even kids these days how their phones are working, and how to hack their computers. Because, in 1984, when I was introduced to computers, I had to manually input my own programs, if my computer was going to do anything. (Oh! And dear reader. I'm just dying to show you my first computer, but that will have to wait.)

How did our lives come to be so screen-centric? We went from a culture that said "TV is bad for you!", to tolerating multiple screens at once. A laptop, a cellphone, while we watch Netflix on the TV. - From most of our current perspectives, it's rather impossible to see how insane it is, to live lives so dominated by the screen. Living for two years as a "Wi-free" i.e. someone without the internet at home, gave me sufficient distance to gain perspective on the matter. As you know, we often gain perspective when take a step back.

In this book, I focus on topics like: How did our lives come to be so screen-centric? What is this doing to our brains, and is it significant? Who are the people on the other end, the makers of the applications that we're using? And what are their goals? Judging from having spoken to probably a hundred people about this subject since I started writing this book. I think that most people don't know how to use the internet to their advantage. I think that people once did know, but the priority has shifted from designing something for the user, to "How can we program the user to behave how we want them to?" Are you aware, dear reader, that an interface alone molds your mind if you use it enough?

How can we change the Internet? In my writings you'll find a perspective that makes the screens more of a tool for you, instead of making you a tool. And, in turn, that will have the effect of making the screens a more useful tool for all of us, and future generations. And not a colored filled light box with a Las Vegas slot machine algorithm constantly compelling us to pull down — or swipe, rather — on the lever. (Which has transpired.)

The book is informative, but also part memoir. And consequently, a tech history/nostalgia piece.

The internet affects everyone. From South Gate, California (Where's that, right?) to Silicon Valley. From homeless people with cell phones to tech startup execs who don't use cell phones (But, their assistants use them).

About the layout of this book:

I began my journey with computers when I was eleven. At the time, the only programing language available to me was BASIC. In that language, it was customary to address each line in tens, e.g. 10, 20, 30, 40. I later learned the usefulness of that. If you want to alter your program, you could easily do so, since starting in 10's gave you nine lines to insert new commands between each existing line.

Since this book is written in pieces, I decided to employ the same philosophy for the chapters. What a weight is lifted off of my shoulders as a writer, let me tell you!

My book in its current state is about 150,000 words long. Editing the entirety of it, while working on all of the other aspects of book publishing and finance are irrealizable (especially as a single parent). If you follow my work, you'll know that I invented something called Linkmerch. After finding no venue in existence that worked for me, I decided to create one. I hope you are as ecstatic as I am that you're joining me on this journey!