Offline is the New Luxury
We’ve all experienced it at restaurants, family gatherings, or special events. Almost every face we see looks like hordes of hypnotized zombies, buried in the hypnotic glow of a smartphone or tablet. Is there a way out? The new documentary, Offline is the New Luxury, produced by VPRO, tells the story of a new movement aimed at doing just that.
The movie starts with the most basic questions. What are we losing through increasingly networked digital technologies? Ironically, in a world where we can engage with numerous social media platforms and message almost anyone on the planet, we are more disconnected than ever. We have lost the gift of social interaction, the intimacy of eye contact, the art of conversation and the majesty of being in the moment.
As we see in the video, more and more products and services are trying to fill this gap. For example, the White Spots app is an innovative program that detects areas of the user’s environment that are not affected by digital network signals. Other technologies block digital signals in public places. A company in the Netherlands makes products that protect us from the radiation emitted by these devices. A German spa specializes in offline environments, emphasizing soothing isolation and renewed focus on yourself. Even the Amish community is grappling with the challenges posed by these rapidly evolving technologies.
There is hardly any place in the world where digital signal pulses do not exist. The film takes us to Sri Lanka, where Google is rolling out a program to provide 100% free Wi-Fi access via a series of balloons and satellites. But is 100% connectivity really as convenient and selfless as we’re told? Critics argue that wider Wi-Fi coverage means more data production. This data can then be used to target citizens with advertisements and create new revenue opportunities for large corporations.
Offline is a new luxury that does not ignore the positive aspects of the online world, but dares to be skeptical of possible downsides with keen insight.
