108
" This can show you everything,” she told her mother. Videos of celebrities flashed across the laptop’s screen. “Here, I’ll show you where I live in Canada.” A few taps later, the laptop’s screen was displaying a map of the world and Linda proceeded to zoom into Canada, into British Columbia, into Vancouver, into the city’s east side, and finally into the block where she lived with Nate. “There,” she said to her mother, pointing. “That’s where I live. That’s my home.” Her mother didn’t understand at first, and Linda continued to wave at the screen. “This can show you everything.” “It can show me everything?” her mother asked, now leaning in, full of wonder. “Everything. What do you want to see?” The answer came through tears: “Show me my mother in the afterlife. "
― Michael Harris , The End of Absence: Reclaiming What We've Lost in a World of Constant Connection
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" Now, those moments are being erased. With smartphone in hand, connectivity is continuous. We’re in a crowd even when we’re by ourselves. The chatter never ends; the rhythm never slows. Nonstop networking may feel invigorating, but, as Harris makes clear, we sacrifice much when we’re never alone. Solitude is refreshing. It strengthens memory, sharpens awareness, and spurs creativity. It makes us calmer, more attentive, clearer headed. Most important of all, it relieves the pressure of conformity. It gives us the space we need to discover the deepest sources of passion, enjoyment, and fulfillment in our lives. Being alone frees us to be ourselves—and that makes us better company when we rejoin the crowd. "
― Michael Harris , Solitude: In Pursuit of a Singular Life in a Crowded World
111
" Then again, maybe it was the world that had changed; perhaps it no longer made allowances for solitude in the same way. Or perhaps, more likely, it was a combination of the two forces—my own growing older and the world’s self-tethering to online things. It had all changed, within and without, so that now, in a haze of social anxiety, I woke each morning thinking, “What did I miss?” and went to bed thinking, “What did I say? "
― Michael Harris , Solitude: In Pursuit of a Singular Life in a Crowded World