well… that’s just the thing… “real” people don’t feel that “real” I’m afraid… the bar is quite low
Discussion
How do you mean that real people don't feel that real? It sounds like you have an interesting point there and I'd love to hear more.
appreciate your interest Michael
in short: the “real” people that surround me, for instance, professionally, feel hollowed out and stretched thin; in many respects they are almost facsimiles of one another, with mostly mainstream (for lack of a better term) ideas and talking points. it’s almost like they manifest as stereotypes. if they weren’t in general quite subdued and clad in smallness they would be crass caricatures
not sure if I’m able to make my point but they feel distant and a bit fake, like they’re grounded in a fictional, avoidant world
Is that a consequence of the internet, do you think? Does being online and entertained to excess hollow out one's character? It's probably more complicated than that, because one can use the Internet to learn and develop meaningful ideas.
How do you think we can encourage the people around us to ground themselves more?
A phrase I like is "be more human." The "real" people you're talking about don't feel fully human. So the question is: How do we become more human?
Personally, I think my opinion holds limited validity due to the fact that nostr is literally my first time actively using social media, but here it goes. I believe the internet has had some responsibility for the sense of "hollowness" that we often feel around others nowadays. While you are right about the fact that the internet can be used learn, formulate, and develop new ideas, it has also made it significantly easier to spread misinformation. I don't believe we can convince people to "be more human" as you say. Refusing to go against ruling powers has proven throughout all of human history to be an effective survival strategy. A type of fight or flight response.
To be frank, most people are too cowardly to go against the herd. Sad but true. 🤷♂️