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Quote by Douglas Rushkoff

“Our digital devices and the outlooks they inspired allowed us to break free of the often repressive timelines of our storytellers, turning us from creatures led about by future expectations into more fully present-oriented human beings. The actual experience of this now-ness, however, is a bit more distracted, peripheral, even schizophrenic than that of being fully present. For many, the collapse of narrative led initially to a kind of post-traumatic stress disorder—a disillusionment, and the vague unease of having no direction from above, no plan or story. But like a dose of adrenaline or a double shot of espresso, our digital technologies compensate for this goalless drifting with an onslaught of simultaneous demands. We may not know where we're going anymore, but we're going to get there a whole lot faster. Yes, we may be in the midst of some great existential crisis, but we're simply too busy to notice.”

Quote by Douglas Rushkoff

Work

Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now

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Author

Douglas Rushkoff
Douglas Rushkoff

Douglas Rushkoff is a writer, media theorist, and cultural critic of the digital age. Born on February 18, 1961, he is renowned for his profound insights into technology, media, and culture. Rushkoff's work covers a wide range of topics from personal technology to global politics, frequently exploring how technology shapes social structures and human behavior. more

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