Little Dictators

The other day I recorded a conversation with Darrell Epp for the podcast that’s due to drop on November 4. Darrell is a poet and his most recent collection of poems is nothing short of amazing. The book is called “Alien Phonics Primer” where he uses thought provoking lines to help the reader consider how technology is changing the way we live as humans - and NOT so much for the better.

Anyways.

During one point in our conversation we talked about how technology often DICTATES our thoughts and our days from the moment we wake up in the morning.

Have you noticed this?

I read an article somewhere not that long ago where researchers ran a test and discovered that a LARGE portion of people pick up their phone within minutes of waking up to check …

Facebook.

Twitter/X.

The news.

Etc.

… to see what they might have missed while they were sleeping.

At first you might think, “big deal” … right? Like, who cares. Maybe you’ve found yourself doing the same thing - I know I have!

BUT.

Here’s the thing - when we open our eyes and go right to (for instance) Twitter/X and see …

The LATEST thing that Donald Trump said.

The LATEST thing that Kamala Harris said.

The LATEST thing that Taylor Swift said.

The LATEST thing that Kanye West said.

The LATEST thing that Elon Musk said.

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

… All of a sudden what comes up on the screen has begun to DICTATE our our day or (at the very least) the thoughts we are having to start out our day.

Right?

Like, “Omg, I can’t believe Trump/Harris said THAT. Our country is such a MESS!”

Whereas we were just making our way to the coffee maker before making school lunches for our kids or going to walk the dog or get in the shower or ponder our to-do list for the day, NOW our adrenaline is rushing a bit.

Maybe the comments they said made us MAD.

Maybe the comments make us SCARED.

Maybe the comments make us PRIDEFUL (my candidate is so much better than theirs!).

… Whatever the case may be - we’ve read the words on the screen, we’ve taken them, in, we’ve allowed them to impact us, and now we’re feeling a bunch of feelings or emotions at the beginning of the day that we might not have otherwise felt.

Hm.

Think of it like this - if we hadn’t picked up the phone, where might our mind have gone on it’s own? Maybe while making the lunches, we would have spoken some intentional well-wishes over the days of our children. Or maybe while walking the dog we would have taken in the scents of the morning air, stared a little longer at the sunrise … both of which might have given us a quiet thought of idea regarding a problem we’ve been trying to solve; or maybe we would have lingered a bit longer over that first sip of coffee, felt some ease or peace of mind in the shower as the hot water hit our head and dripped down our body.

BUT.

Instead.

Our mind is kicked into action by the latest news regarding Trump/Harris/Swift/etc. and has (in a sense) been hijacked and taken to places it might not have gone had we just let it wake up on its own.

And so, for me - I’m challenging myself.

This is a hard topic for me because much of my work is done ON MY PHONE. I handle social media for the podcast, of course, but also for Alexander John Shaia, Bart Ehrman, and a couple of other smaller podcasts and so I feel like I’m constantly checking in to social media without thinking about it.

And that’s the key - without thinking about it.

The challenge I’ve put forward for myself is to THINK ABOUT IT - to be more mindful of when I pick up my phone AND not to check social media feeds/notifications for the first 1-2 HOURS that I’m awake, to (instead) focus on what I’m doing in the moment and maybe spend a few extra minutes lingering over a book or journal or Tarot Cards or whatever.

Why?

Because I’m tired of the little dictator in my pocket getting to TELL ME how I should feel first thing in the morning (AND all throughout my day!).

My brain needs a break.

My mind needs a break.

My heart needs a break.

My soul needs a break.

Those things deserve to breathe and have space to begin the day apart from the barrage of words and thoughts and news that’s firing through my phone screen as soon as it’s unlocked.

How about you? How will YOU challenge yourself to take your thoughts back from the little dictator in your pocket?

Much love.

Glenn Siepert